Bears vs. Broncos preseason Week 1: Complete game preview
Previewing the Chicago Bears’ preseason opener against the Denver Broncos.
On Thursday night, the Chicago Bears will open their preseason slate at home against the Denver Broncos. Denver provides a tough test for the Bears as they look to get their preseason off on the right foot.
Obviously, wins and losses mean nothing here. The starters for both teams will likely only play a series or two before the second, third and end of the roster players take over. Offensive and defensive schemes will be vanilla as both coaching staffs will simply be looking to see how their team handles its first live game action.
Despite the games themselves not really meaning much, we can take a lot away from these preseason contests. Chicago is the middle of a complete rebuild. The most important players on their roster are all young and some of them are not even starters. That means that will get a long look at a lot of important Bears’ players on Thursday night.
What to watch for the Bears
For the Bears, it primarily comes down to the rookies. Franchise quarterback Mitch Trubisky will likely see a lot of action as the team’s third-string quarterback. Playing behind the third offensive line will not be ideal, but seeing Trubisky in NFL game action for the first time will be exciting.
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I will also specifically be keeping my eye on rookies Tarik Cohen, Adam Shaheen, Eddie Jackson and Tanner Gentry. Each of these players has a great chance to make an impact for the Bears right away.
As for the starters, wide receiver Kevin White stands out as a particular player to watch. Edge rusher Leonard Floyd certainly fits that bill as well. More than anything, it would be nice to see Chicago’s starters come out and take care of a business. Force the Broncos’ offense into a quick three and out or two and have Mike Glennon lead the offense on a long scoring drive.
What to watch for the Broncos
The Broncos have a less than inspiring quarterback battle going on. Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch are pretty much even at this point. Can one of these guys take the lead in this position battle against the Bears?
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The Broncos offensive line was a mess last season and they made three significant additions up front this offseason. In free agency, they signed Menelik Watson and Ronald Leary to long-term contracts. Watson and Leary expect to make up the right side of the Broncos’ offensive line in 2017. They also drafted Garett Bolles in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Bolles is currently listed as their starting left tackle on the depth chart.
The play of Denver’s offensive line will be important to their success in 2017. Will these new additions take make the unit better? We will start to see on Thursday night.
As for a specific player to watch, I am going to be keeping an eye on rookie running back De’Angelo Henderson. The Broncos drafted Henderson out of Coastal Carolina in the sixth round (203rd overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft.
Henderson is a physical back who shows impressive quickness and hits the hole hard. He is a dynamic player who has really showed up in training camp. With Devontae Booker injured, there are carries up for grab in Denver’s backfield. If Henderson can continue to impress, he could end up having a large role in the Broncos’ rushing attack in 2017. A strong performance on Thursday night could go a long way towards making that a reality.
Game Details
Date: Thursday, August 10th, 2017
Time: 7:00 pm CT
Location: Chicago, IL
Venue: Soldier Field
Buy Tickets: Ticketmaster and SeatGeek
TV: FOX 32 (Chicago) and NFL Network
Radio: WBBM- AM 780
Next: Players to watch in Bears' first preseason game
Will the important young players show promise for the Chicago Bears on Thursday night? Make sure to tune in to find out.