Chicago Bears
The Bears are coming off a very impressive 2018 season where they finished 12-4 at the top of the NFC North. They fell short by just a field goal in the playoffs to the Philadelphia Eagles. They will have to deal with a healthy Aaron Rodgers in the division this year, along with a Vikings team that will look to bounce back with all the talent on their roster. 2019 will be a challenge for the Bears, but their tough defensive team should be up to the task.
The Bears are bringing back almost everyone on their defense aside from safety Adrian Amos, who they were able to replace with HaHa Clinton-Dix. One player who will be back is their pro-bowl pass rusher Khalil Mack who has a way of making an impact in every game.
While Chicago was leaning on their defense last year, their quarterback Mitchell Trubisky made big strides in his development, which he will look to build on this year. If he can contribute enough to get their offense going, the defense should keep the Bears in every game. While they did lose Jordan Howard on offense, the Bears are excited about their new rookie running back David Montgomery who has already been turning heads at camp. Montgomery is a powerhouse who is tough and hard to bring down; he should fit in with the monsters of the midway attitude perfectly.
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts are another team that has to be happy with the progress they made last season. After finishing with a 10-6 record and second in the AFC South, they clinched a wildcard spot where they defeated the Texans, and they went on to lose 31-13 to the Kansas City Chiefs. Not only did they get Andrew Luck back under center last year but the offensive line in front of him performed very well and allowed both Luck and his running backs to get the job done. A huge part of that line was their rookie guard Quenton Nelson who ended up making the pro bowl.
This preseason Andrew Luck is back to battling a lower-body injury which has had multiple diagnoses, and they are hoping to have him ready by week one of the regular season. The Colts struggled mightily without Luck two years ago, and while they do not want to go on without him again, this is a team with huge improvements that could survive without the star quarterback if needed for the first few weeks of the season.
The Colts have had great luck with young players on the other side of the ball as well. Their 24-year-old linebacker Darius Leonard ended last season with 163 tackles and 7 sacks. He will most likely be a leading force on their defense for years to come.
What to expect
In this game, like most games for the Bears this season, I expect their defense to be too much for the Colts to handle. Look for them to control the tempo of the entire game and walk away with a win.
