Well, that could have gone better. Not that you should be too concerned with the outcome, but the Chicago Bears lost in their first preseason outing last night to the Buffalo Bills in a score of 27 – 20. It was an inconsistent performance at best from the Bears, who were without key pieces on both sides of the ball.
Jay Cutler made his long-awaited debut under center for Chicago and the immediate results were less than stellar. Cutler did his best to get developing receiver Devin Hester the ball on numerous occasions, as the two still need to feel each other out. This led to a few off throws and even an interception deep down the field on an underthrown pass to Hester.
It wasn’t all bad for Cutler however. On throws aimed to Desmond Clark and Hester, you could see the quarterback skill and arm strength for which the Bears traded. Looking off receivers and whipping tight spirals were little snippets of the offense to come. Little effort was made to establish the run, so back-up tailbacks Kevin Jones and Garrett Wolfe did not provide significant contributions.
The first team offense was definitely short-handed against the improving Bills defense. Star running back Matt Forte was held out of the game on a coach’s decision and starting tight end Greg Olsen was kept in street clothes due to a minor hip injury. No sense in risking our key cogs in a meaningless preseason game.
Frank Omiyale and Josh Beekman are entrenched in a battle for the left guard spot, but Beekman has been the clear winner in camp. Omiyale got the start last night, with Beekman coming in and playing some center for the second team. While Cutler was in the game, the offensive line behind Orland Pace and Olin Kreutz offered solid protection
The defense fared much better, even as they went up against Buffalo’s highly touted and efficient no-huddle offense without several key players. Terrell Owens sat out for the Bills, but Charles Tillman, Tommie Harris, Danieal Manning and training camp stand-out Zach Bowman all missed the game for Chicago. Lovie Smith’s first-team defense held firm, allowing Bills QB Trent Edwards to complete all ten of his passes while refusing to give up points.
Weak spots on Chicago’s defense included Nathan Vasher, who was burned multiple times on passing routes. Vasher is in the midst of a key stretch of playing time, as more soft performances could see Zach Bowman rise up as his replacement when Tillman returns to the field. Defensive end Mark Anderson was out of position on key plays, losing containment on a QB scramble to his side.
Now, on to the scrubs!
I think it’s safe to say Caleb Hanie has the back-up QB job all locked up. He went eight of eleven for eighty-seven yards and a touchdown. Third-stringer Brett Basanez did little to make a name for himself, unless he was trying to secure his release. Basanez tossed three interceptions in his time under center, causing concern for his future on the team.
Rookie safety Al Afalava started the game, and all but cemented his spot on the roster by finding and planting the ball-carrier on a regular basis. He left the game late with an injury, but word is he’ll be just fine. In an uncertain secondary, Afalava may have earned his right to compete for a starting job.
In the crazy world of Bear wide receivers, no one made a significant case for the number two slot. (Or three or four for that matter.) Receptions were spread thin between Earl Bennett, Rashied Davis, and draft picks Johnny Knox and Juaquin Iglesias. Look for that competition to heat up as the preseason continues.
Wrapping things up, no one should feel one way or the other after one preseason game. Cutler is still transitioning to game action with a completely different set of wide-outs. Just because he didn’t light it up in four drives isn’t cause for panic. The defense handled things well despite facing an exhausting and daunting no-huddle Bills offense. They can only look better as their players get healthy.
I’ll be back to recap all the drama-filled action (note sarcasm) after the Bears’ next preseason game versus the Giants on the 22nd. Seeya then!
