Chicago Bears: 3 reasons not to panic after Bengals game
Positive takeaways
While the “abandon all hope” crowd was very active on Twitter during and after the game, there was a small group that maintained a level head and took the game for what it was. For those folks, and those open to the idea that the Bears’ season isn’t a lost cause after their second preseason game, there are many positives to latch on to.
Huge takeaway tonight: #Bears offense should be VERY good. If tights ends are featured THIS much (and make these types of plays), imagine what this offense will look like with Howard, Cohen, Robinson and Gabriel on the field.
— Ryan Heckman (@TheRyanHeckman) August 10, 2018
For starters, Adam Shaheen looked like the difference maker the Bears hoped he would be when they selected him in the second round of the 2017 draft. He has a rare combination of tremendous size and athleticism for a tight end and poses matchup nightmares for opposing defenses.
Last year, for reasons only known to the previous coaching staff, he scarcely saw the field. On Thursday night, Shaheen was featured with the second unit and caught all three targets for 53 yards.
In addition, on the offensive line, James Daniels looked good enough to supplant Cody Whitehair as the starting center and move him back to the guard position. Meanwhile, Rashaad Coward continued to improve as a converted offensive lineman.
Related Story. 3 takeaways from Bengals game. light
On the defensive side, we saw Leonard Floyd continually get pressure on the quarterback, as well as Kyle Fuller came away with an interception he returned for a touchdown.
Finally, everyone came out of the game healthy, which is no small feat for this team. They’ll now return to practice where they’ll review the film and work on the things they clearly need to work on. The good news is they still have plenty of time before taking on the Green Bay Packers in week one. By that time, this team will be nothing like the one that took the field against the Bengals.