NEWSLETTER
Under most circumstances, a game between the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts in the third game of the preseason would be a headliner.
Preseason showdowns between two division winners are rare, especially in Week 3, which has long been used as a dress-rehearsal game (teams traditionally play their starters into the third quarter as a tune-up for regular season games).
Hell, some might even take a bold step and bill such a game as a possible Super Bowl preview. But after seeing how Head Coach Matt Nagy sat the Bears’ starters for the final two games of the preseason last year, that might not be a thing this time around (then again, the Bears had a unique 5-game preseason schedule last summer, so who knows what he’s planning this time around).
In any case, the Chicago Bears have announced their 2019 preseason opponents, which includes some intriguing matchups – even if it is just the preseason.
Despite it being the preseason, I’m still interested in seeing how the Bears will stack up against the Panthers (will Cam Newton be healthy enough for a cameo?), Giants (Saquon Barkely takes over as the star performer), and Titans (a team that was on the brink of making the playoffs last season). And that game against the Colts is still going to be one worth watching.
After all, it’s a Bears team that boasts the reigning NFL Coach of the Year and peer-voted Executive of the Year against ex-Bears front office member Chris Ballard and a head coach off the Doug Pederson tree in Frank Reich. Clearly, this game would be more fun if the Bears played their starters. Maybe Matt Nagy will have a change in approach this year? Only time will tell if that’s the case.
Exact dates and times for the Bears’ preseason games have yet to be announced, but at least we know who they’ll play and have an idea of when they games will take place. Bring on the 2019 (pre)season!
