What To Watch For: Bears-Patriots
By Chris Emma--
(CBS) The Bears didn't come away from last Thursday's opener against the Broncos with many positives after they were blasted 22-0 by the defending Super Bowl champions in a game of breakdowns.
Thursday night brings a new chance for the Bears, who retake the preseason field against the Patriots in New England. What should you be watching for?
Let's take a look:
1.) Preparation
Plenty from the Bears' preseason opener was disappointing, but it had to be prefaced with the reminder that teams don't game plan for their first exhibition. Broncos defensive coordinator Wade Phillips may have missed that memo.
The Bears will take the field Thursday having spent three days alongside the Patriots. By now, they should have a fair idea of what's coming in the game. Don't expect New England coach Bill Belichick to bring much of anything exotic in his schemes. The Patriots will be bland as can be, as the Bears surely will, too.
Yet, after such an ugly showing last week, all one can ask to see in round two is a better product. Watch the Bears' starting offensive line, which struggled last week with the Broncos. Look to see if Jeremy Langford has holes to run through and if Jay Cutler time in the pocket.
Watch for what offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains comes out with in the first series. It won't be anything sexy, but one should hope it's organized.
On the other side of the ball, note how the young Bears secondary responds to looks from the Patriots' passing game. At cornerback, Bryce Callahan will get another chance with Kyle Fuller back home in Chicago. Deiondre' Hall should get solid reps, too.
Chicago must show a much more crisp product in New England. The bar wasn't set too high in the opener.
2.) It all starts up front
Losing Hroniss Grasu was a punch in the gut for the Bears -- don't be mistaken on that. While he was still a question mark, but this would have been an important season of development for the team's center of the future. For this 2016 Bears team, Grasu's absence means starting all over in establishing continuity on the line.
Veteran Ted Larsen now steps in at center, while rookie Cody Whitehair stays put at left guard. The Bears continue to get Whitehair snaps at center, which is more of a nod toward doing their homework and seeing what could be of the Kansas State product. What's important in this second preseason game is simply getting closer to a cohesive unit up front.
The Bears couldn't handle the Broncos' blitzes last week. While Phillips is one of the game's great defensive minds, he wasn't sending Von Miller or DeMarcus Ware at the Bears. This Chicago unit needs to mesh and show more.
3.) Concern corner
The Bears didn't do anything with their cornerback position in the offseason, so their hopes rest with Kyle Fuller and Tracy Porter, both back for a second season as the starters.
Now in his third season, Fuller has yet to consistently play like a first-round pick. Porter is a veteran who managed to play well enough last season after being given a chance.
On Thursday, Fuller will be watching from home as he has knee soreness. It's likely that Callahan, Hall and Jacoby Glenn will get a heavy dose of opportunities. The Bears like the potential of the three young players, but they remain uncertainties.
Callahan got beat badly last week by Demaryius Thomas when he got crossed up and thought there was a safety over the top. There wasn't.
Hall could be a bright spot at cornerback, but he shouldn't be viewed as anything more than a fifth-round pick until he proves otherwise. Glenn has been a pleasant surprise.
The Patriots won't come out with anything of extraordinary appeal on offense, mostly sticking in simple looks. They also don't have a star like Thomas to match up against a young player like Callahan.
Seeing how the Bears' cornerbacks respond in the second preseason outing will be intriguing.
4.) Leonard Floyd (again)
The second verse is same as the first.
How will Floyd respond to going up against NFL tackles? The Bears' selection of Floyd raised many eyebrows, so each rep he takes at this level will be analyzed.
The Bears continue to express their belief in the 24-year-old Floyd, but he's still a developmental player for this 2016 team. The Bears can't expect anything major from their No. 9 pick just yet.
For now, we'll see how Floyd can handle his new role and the ways in which he can fight against NFL linemen. They're mostly bigger and stronger than the slender Floyd, whose speed and athleticism is his advantage. In his rookie season, he seems set to be a piece of versatility for Vic Fangio's defense.
5.) Health
To put it lightly, this Bears team can't afford injuries.
Obviously, any team will struggle with injuries, but established contenders have the depth to respond when tested with adversity. General manager Ryan Pace and the Bears' brass have done a lot of work job in replenishing the roster with young talent, but their project will last several years.
Names like Alshon Jeffery, Kevin White and Zach Miller naturally jump out as players with past injury history, but losing a player like Fuller or Pernell McPhee -- both of whom are expected to be ready for Week 1 in Houston -- would create more concerns.
Should the Bears see an injury to a valuable piece, depth will be tested -- and that's not a good test.
Typically, starters play the first half of the second preseason game and then three quarters of the third game. Anything different would be a strange surprise.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670 and like his Facebook page.