The Preseason finale is in 3 days!

So we get Hard Knocks on Tuesday and Bears football on Thursday. 

Obviously with the quick turn around, I can't see the Bears playing any starters.  So it will be curious to see how the team handles guys like Velus. If they don't suit up, they are basically on the 53-man roster. So we should know who the bubble players are on Thursday night.

 

As always, I hope they play.  Muscle memory, rhythm and callous...

Chiefs have announced they are sitting all of their starters. No word yet from the Bears.  I presume the starters will sit though.  

Halftime should be a no holds barred cage match between Poles and Nagy

2 hours ago, BearFan PHX said:

Halftime should be a no holds barred cage match between Poles and Nagy

I'll take Flus and the hits principle for the win.  

Even if CW doesnt play, plenty to look at. V Jones vs Wheeler at RB, V Jones vs Pettis at WR, who are the odd men out in the DB room. Backup at linebacker is up for change. Ogbombbemige- Baskerville -Sewell. Does Davis continue to play RG.

most Bears starters, including Caleb Williams, will sit out Thursday night according to a Bears announcement.

Bears win.  Not much worth noting of course but Austin Booker got the start and then was pulled quickly so that says he's a part of the DE rotation.  Who did Tyler Scott piss off to be playing the entire game including kick returns in the 4th quarter?  He almost got his head ripped off late in the 4th but thankfully walked off the field.  

Bagent looks good.  Austin Reed looks more composed on the field than Rypien.  I'm not saying he's better, although I wouldn't say he's worse, but he's also got a lot less experience.  I wonder what that battle looks like next year or even in Week 10?  

I had hopes that Owens could be a decent backup safety for us but after this game I'm not sure that's going to happen.  I'll give him the benefit of the doubt playing with a lot of players who are likely not assignment sound.   Or is it him?  

Velus gets trashed a lot but if there is a choice to be made at RB I'd take him over Homer.  He runs with more power, burst, deep speed, can fall forward after contact, showed good patience at the LOS at times, and on at least one occasion did well blocking.  All in just 3 weeks of practice.  Homer just looks like any other guy out there in the 2nd, 3rd or 4th quarter.   I doubt we'll have that choice at RB unless Roschon is a surprise cut or IR'd for the first part of the season.  Or we trade Herbert, which I think is a bad idea.   I'll be curious how this plays out.  

Kramer seemed like a decent emergency backup at C.  I can see him being back on the practice squad.   Not that it should matter but it was odd that our starting punter didn't kick in this game.  Is there an injury concern?  

 Overall again the Bears looked like the better coached team and that lasted on the field until late in the 4th when it got sloppy.  

Off to the 53 man selection process and the practice squad.  This year we are a good team for young players to sign with.  That might help us find another practice squad gem for future depth.  OTOH we are likely to be surprised that a couple of our past cut/practice squad guys get picked up by other teams.  

7 hours ago, AZ54 said:

Bears win.  Not much worth noting of course but Austin Booker got the start and then was pulled quickly so that says he's a part of the DE rotation.  Who did Tyler Scott piss off to be playing the entire game including kick returns in the 4th quarter?  He almost got his head ripped off late in the 4th but thankfully walked off the field.  

Bagent looks good.  Austin Reed looks more composed on the field than Rypien.  I'm not saying he's better, although I wouldn't say he's worse, but he's also got a lot less experience.  I wonder what that battle looks like next year or even in Week 10?  

I had hopes that Owens could be a decent backup safety for us but after this game I'm not sure that's going to happen.  I'll give him the benefit of the doubt playing with a lot of players who are likely not assignment sound.   Or is it him?  

Velus gets trashed a lot but if there is a choice to be made at RB I'd take him over Homer.  He runs with more power, burst, deep speed, can fall forward after contact, showed good patience at the LOS at times, and on at least one occasion did well blocking.  All in just 3 weeks of practice.  Homer just looks like any other guy out there in the 2nd, 3rd or 4th quarter.   I doubt we'll have that choice at RB unless Roschon is a surprise cut or IR'd for the first part of the season.  Or we trade Herbert, which I think is a bad idea.   I'll be curious how this plays out.  

Kramer seemed like a decent emergency backup at C.  I can see him being back on the practice squad.   Not that it should matter but it was odd that our starting punter didn't kick in this game.  Is there an injury concern?  

 Overall again the Bears looked like the better coached team and that lasted on the field until late in the 4th when it got sloppy.  

Off to the 53 man selection process and the practice squad.  This year we are a good team for young players to sign with.  That might help us find another practice squad gem for future depth.  OTOH we are likely to be surprised that a couple of our past cut/practice squad guys get picked up by other teams.  

• I don't think Booker was in doubt. Ultimately, 15+ players on the 53-man have to play because no one else is left. I think Scott played because C. Johnson and Pettis were out. Roschon didn't play, and Wheeler got hurt making Velus go in as RB. 
• Bagent is the clear backup and with his added strength, his ball is coming out a lot better. He is a very solid backup and someone I would hold onto unless some desperate team is offering a 2nd rounder or something like that.
• I agree on Homer vs Velus. Homer just looks slow, I have no idea what he brings to this roster. He has no juice. I would rather have Wheeler and Velus over Homer.
• I have Owens under Hicks and mainly a ST contributor.
• I think they were just resting Taylor and saving his leg but I could be wrong.
• One team looked hungry, the other team, outside of 2-3 players seemed just happy to be there. People say it's just the preseason but for the guys on the field, it meant something. The last time the Bears were 4-0 in the preseason was 1994 when they won a road playoff game as a wild card team........ <insert thinking face>
• I thought it was interesting that the Chiefs were playing Toney (former 1st round pick), Moore (2nd round pick), and Hardman (2nd round pick) in the game. Our backups were holding up against those guys. 
• Are you Reddy? That dude is a ballhawk, and something you can't teach. He just has a knack for the ball. I would consider him over Steward over Blackwell. 
• 0 sacks allowed, again. The O-Line may not be elite, but they are holding up enough to allow the team to get a passing game going. No INTs thrown either. 

11 hours ago, AZ54 said:

Or we trade Herbert, which I think is a bad idea.   I'll be curious how this plays out.  

I hope not, as I believe he is our best pure runner.  Swift also has injury and toughness issues that got him booted from Detroit.

Blackwell is an ace on special teams coverage.   While Reddy looked good against a lot of backups he might be more of a PS guy. While he learns the defense better.  
 

i found it ironic to listen to the announcers talking to the GM about all his good drafting while his recent first and second picks were on the field fighting for a job.  

33 minutes ago, AZ54 said:

Blackwell is an ace on special teams coverage.   While Reddy looked good against a lot of backups he might be more of a PS guy. While he learns the defense better.  
 

i found it ironic to listen to the announcers talking to the GM about all his good drafting while his recent first and second picks were on the field fighting for a job.  

Yeah, I thought that was funny too. If they didn't draft Mahomes, KC has zero Super Bowls in the last few years.