The Chicago Bears will face the Tennessee Titans for their first preseason game.
How to Watch
Date and Time: Saturday, August 12th at 12:00 pm
Location: Soldier Field
Channel: NFL Network or FOX 32 (Chicagoland area only)
Preview
Under Mike Vrabel, the Titans play a similar style to the Bears. Like Matt Eberflus, Vrabel began his coaching career as a linebackers coach before becoming a defensive coordinator and, eventually, a head coach. Vrabel has become a well-respected head coach around the NFL by transforming the Titans into a disciplined team you don’t want to play against. While it’s only the preseason, the Titans will give the Bears a good physical challenge in early August.
How much will the Bears’ first team play?
With the acquisition of DJ Moore, many Bears fans are excited to see the new-look Bears offense in action. The question is, how much will coach Eberflus let the first-string offense play? In the Bears’ first preseason game last year, Justin Fields and the first team offense played three series against the Kansas City Chiefs. Those three series lasted past the first quarter, and Fields threw seven passes in that span.
Another big question is, how much will newcomer Yannick Ngakoue play, if at all? The Bears signed Ngakoue on Thursday night and introduced him after Friday’s practice. He might take a couple of days to get back to form. So, I’m not expecting him to play much this Saturday. Rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson will get his first taste of NFL action. Look for him to make an impact. Another thing to watch for is the health of multiple starters. New signings Nate Davis and Tremaine Edmunds have missed the last couple of practices. Their health status is a question that needs answering.
What will Chicago’s second and third teams look like?
PJ Walker and Tyler Scott struggled these last couple of days. Walker’s strong arm has gotten the better of him. During Sunday’s Family Fest at Soldier Field, Walker overthrew multiple receivers. Given the wet conditions in the Windy City this past weekend, I’m not too concerned about Walker. Tyler Scott, on the other hand, has gone through some growing pains. The rookie wide receiver started training camp off strong by wowing fans with his speed and route running. Despite his early success, Scott has experienced some rookie blunders. These past few days, he has dropped multiple passes and muffed two punts. Hopefully, this doesn’t happen on Saturday.
On the defensive side of the ball, fans should be watching the defensive line and the secondary. Rookie defensive tackles Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens should have plenty of opportunities to shine in their first-ever preseason game. The main competition for roster spots in Chicago is at cornerback. The second and third team units are filled with new and familiar names: Jaylon Jones, Greg Stroman Jr, Terell Smith, Kindle Vildor, and Josh Blackwell. These second and first-year players will get to play against a Titans receiving corp that lacks standout talent behind DeAndre Hopkins. Whoever shines in these next three weeks will lock up a roster spot, while the others will be released or put on the practice squad.
How much will Tennessee’s quarterbacks play?
The Titans have three quarterbacks on their roster: Ryan Tannehill, Will Levis, and Malik Willis. Tannehill, a 35-year-old veteran, is projected to be the starter. After falling out of the first round, the Titans selected Levis in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The rookie from Kentucky is looking to prove the doubters wrong by becoming the Titans’s number two quarterback behind Tannehill. Tennessee selected Willis in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The former Liberty standout played in eight games last year and started three.
What does Tennessee’s running back room look like?
When people think of the Tennessee Titans, their mind typically goes to Derrick Henry, and rightfully so. Every NFL fan knows how great Henry is, but what if I told you that the Titans boast another talented running back?
The Titans selected Tyjae Spears in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The rookie from Tulane has a free path to touches this season due to the pending legal decision of Hassan Haskins and the decision by Tennessee not to bring back Dontrell Hillard. In college, Spears averaged seven yards per carry on 411 attempts across 33 games at Tulane. In his senior season, Spears ran for 1,528 yards. He is also a receiving threat. Spears recorded 560 yards on 46 receptions for the Green Wave. Spears was someone I was very high on going into the draft. He will provide a good test for the Bears’ front seven.
