The Chicago Bears preseason opener pitted them against the Carolina Panthers. While they were not victorious, there were a few good things to take away. The fact that it was the preseason opener only matters to the starters who got to sit and Mitchell Trubisky. For those other guys, there was a lot to prove. So who proved what?
Notes from the Chicago Bears Preseason Opener
The Good
David Montgomery is the real deal. The rookie third-rounder announced his presence to the Bears faithful with a drive that featured two catches for 29 yards and two rushes for 12 yards and a touchdown.
He had a gaffe in pass protection that got Chase Daniel hit and ran the wrong route on a different play. But overall fans got to see a little bit of everything the former Iowa State Cyclone has to offer.
Deon Bush and Josh Woods played well. Bush is not so much of a surprise as he is going into his fourth season. But it was nice to see him consistently be around the football, even coming away with a pick.
Woods could be a surprise at a spot where the Bears could use more depth. He tied for the team-lead with six solo tackles and forced a fumble. Veteran Kevin Pierre-Louis also played well behind Nick Kwiatkoski.
Roy Robertson-Harris could be on the verge of a breakout. The third-year end was in the backfield often.
Did you see how crisp Mitchell Trubisky looked on those handoffs though? All three, which were his only snaps on the night, were textbook.
43 yards, straight down the middle. 😅#CARvsCHI | #Bears100 pic.twitter.com/wBv31GhTNe
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 9, 2019
The Bad
There were some protection issues that resulted in free runners right to the quarterback. Obviously, with it being the preseason opener, there is time to get those things ironed out.
Penalties made their presence felt. Again, it is only the preseason but the Bears were prone to similar mistakes last season.
DeAndre Houston-Carson didn’t flash much. The one time he did was when he was called for pass interference.
The Bears got eaten up on a couple of screens, an issue that cost them, at least, one game last season.
Eddy Pineiro…from 48 yards. He connected from 23 yards later.
Other Notes
We won’t know the impact (good or bad) that Chuck Pagano will have on the defense for a couple more weeks. The week-three dress rehearsal is the closest we will get before the regular season.
Javon Wims and Tanner Gentry might be the best practice squad wide receiver duo in the NFL. It’s crazy to think this is the same team that only got four touchdowns from wide receivers in 2017 with the depth they have now.
Ian Bunting did some nice things before and after his fumble. He ended the night with three catches for a team-leading 77 yards. He could be a factor with Trey Burton banged up and Adam Shaheen unproven.
Mike Davis is going to be a really good change-of-pace back
Clifton Duck and Michael Joseph each had picks and James Vaughters recovered the fumble Woods forced as the Bears defense was in midseason ball-hawking form.
Bears Pre-Season Opener Notes
It is just the Bears pre-season opener. But football is finally back in Chicago. And, after what happened to Jermaine Kearse (look it up at your own risk), the best hope is good health. On to New York.
