Chicago Bears vs. Indianapolis Colts preseason preview: 3 storylines to watch

It’s Week 2 of the preseason, and the Bears will return to action against the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday.

Last week, quarterback Justin Fields and the Bears scored two quick touchdowns in the preseason opener against the Tennessee Titans. Now, after two days of joint practices with the Colts earlier this week, the Bears announced that Fields and select starters will not be playing Saturday. It’s time to prepare for a night featuring Bears quarterbacks PJ Walker, Nathan Peterman and Tyson Bagent.

The Bears and Colts will kick off at 6 p.m. Saturday. The game will be broadcast locally on Fox 32. Here are some storylines to follow in Week 2 of preseason action.

Can the explosive plays continue?

Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said Fields and selected starters will not play. Eberflus did not rule out the possibility of Fields playing in the third and final preseason game. A year ago, Fields played the least in preseason game No. 2 and the most in preseason game No. 3. A similar schedule could be in play here.

“That’s what we thought was best for our football team at this time, and then we will discuss the third game going forward,” Eberflus said. “We’ve got a bunch of good practices next week against each other heading into that Buffalo week. We’ll decide at the latter part of that week.”

With the Bears taking on the Colts for two physical joint practices, Eberflus felt he had seen Fields enough against Indianapolis.

The big question will be whether the offense can replicate its explosive start to the preseason. It’s probably too much to ask the Bears to score two touchdowns of 50 or more yards. But DJ Moore and Khalil Herbert’s big plays had Chicago buzzing a week ago. It’s unclear if either of them will play this time around. What will the offense look like without Fields? It’s time to find out.

Walker could wind up starting at QB during the regular season at some point. With Fields’ style of play, he’s bound to miss a game or two because of injury. He has in each of his first two seasons. Other backups to watch on offense include right guard Ja’Tyre Carter, running back Roschon Johnson and receiver Dante Pettis.

Anthony Richardson vs. the Bears’ D-line

The Colts already have named rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson the starter for the regular season. Richardson was the No. 4 overall draft pick in April. In a league that is seemingly full of athletic quarterbacks nowadays, Richardson is among the most athletic QB prospects ever. He has speed and quickness. The question is: Can he throw at an NFL level?

Richardson will play Saturday, and he will test the Bears. It’s unclear how long Indianapolis will leave him in. After the Bears sacked the Titans’ quarterbacks eight times last week, their defensive line could make life hard on him. That will be a fun test to watch for the rookie, and for an evolving Bears D-line.

“[Anthony Richardson is] a great athlete. I know he’s a rookie. But he’s big, he’s strong.”

—  Alan Williams, Bears defensive coordinator

“He’s a great athlete,” Bears defensive coordinator Alan Williams said. “I know he’s a rookie. But he’s big, he’s strong. The quarterback runs, the college game, that type of football always presents a challenge because there’s one extra gap in there.”

Special teams duties

Second-year receiver Velus Jones Jr. muffed another punt last week against the Titans. This comes after Jones’ prominent struggles fielding punts last year.

The muff against the Titans still was somewhat of a surprise because Jones had not been struggling catching the ball during practice through the first three weeks of training camp. But there’s a difference between doing it in practice and doing it in front of a packed stadium.

Jones, however, will not play Saturday. Pettis, who just returned from injury, could field punts. He supplanted Jones as the punt returner midway through the 2022 season. But Pettis also is a veteran who doesn’t necessarily need the reps. The Bears might give rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson a shot on punt return. They have given him chances in practice.

On kick return, rookie Tyler Scott was the only player who fielded a kickoff last week. Scott missed practice Thursday with an undisclosed injury. If Jones and Scott are out, second-year running back Trestan Ebner could have an opportunity.