6 important storylines: Colts and Bears joint practices
The Chicago Bears are traveling to Indiana a few days earlier than normal for their matchup with the Indianapolis Colts Saturday. The reason being the two teams will participate in two joint practices today and Thursday. Both teams had seasons that would be categorized as unsuccessful, with the worst and 4th worst records in the […]
The Chicago Bears are traveling to Indiana a few days earlier than normal for their matchup with the Indianapolis Colts Saturday. The reason being the two teams will participate in two joint practices today and Thursday.
Both teams had seasons that would be categorized as unsuccessful, with the worst and 4th worst records in the NFL. But both teams seem to be entering years full of hope with expectations of growth on the horizon.
Joint practices are often used as measuring sticks for teams, coaches, and players. So with all involved having something to prove to themselves and their respective teams, which matchups/storylines should you pay attention to?
What To Watch For: Colts & Bears Joint Practices
Anthony Richardson and Alec Pierce’s Deep Ball Connection Vs A Live Opponent
The connections between rookie Anthony Richardson and Alec Pierce has been evident throughout Colts training camp. The duo has connected on nearly all of the team's biggest plays so far. And during the team's preseason opener, they attempted to do so in live game action, but unfortunately, the highlight reel play ended up an incompletion.
While this attempt wasn't completed, it is the single play that best represents the strengths of both Richardson and Pierce. And the joint practices with the Bears will offer the Colts two days to see if this training camp connection will be able to flourish beyond training camp on the NFL stage.
DJ Moore Vs The Colts Young CBs
The Bears elected to make a move this offseason that had only been done 12 times prior when they traded the number one overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to the Carolina Panthers. In return, the franchise received an abundance of draft capital along with star WR DJ Moore.
It's since been reported that it was Moore that convinced the Bears to pull the trigger on the deal and the level of player they see in him. During the team's preseason opener, Moore delivered a moment that surely made the Bears brass feel beyond vindicated in their belief in him.
The Colts will go up against Moore over the next couple of practices. And the position group tasked with this is the CB room in which Chris Ballard and co-elected to go young for this season. Entering training camp, there wasn't a position group scrutinized on the Colts roster more than that of the CB room.
These joint practices will be an excellent opportunity to see how this young room stacks up before the 2023 NFL season begins. And while I'm not sure what the results will show at this time. One thing is certain though, DJ Moore will make this group work every snap he's out there over the next two practices.
Colts’ Young Edge Rushers Vs Bears’ Revamped OLine
While all eyes have been on the Colts' search for their next QB since Andrew Luck's shocking retirement, the team's search for a consistent edge rush presence dates back even further. Since Robert Mathis' incredible 19.5 sack season in 2013. the Colts have only had two players have a 10+ sack season. Those two players were Eric Walden in 2016 (11 sacks) and Justin Houston in 2019 (11 sacks).
This season, Colts 2021 1st-round pick Kwity Paye is slated to be the team's top edge rusher on their depth chart. And a battle is ongoing for the starting job opposite of Paye, a position in Gus Bradley's scheme titled the "LEO" between Colts 2021 2nd-round Dayo Odeyingbo and newly signed free agent Samson Ebukam.
That trio of pass rushers will get to put their talents on display against a Bears offensive line hoping for a year of drastic improvement from their 2022 group that allowed 58 sacks, the 4th most sacks in the NFL. In an attempt to not allow that to happen again, the Bears used their 1st round selection in this past year's draft on Darnell Wright out of the University of Tennessee. They also decided to sign former Tennessee Titans OG Nate Davis.
Whether during the team's full scrimmage or one on one drillone-on-oneut the joint practices, the battle between the young Colts' pass rushers and the new Bears' offensive line is one both teams will be watching very closely.
Coach Eberflus returns
A lot has changed since Bears Head Coach Matt Eberflus was last the Colts’ defensive coordinator two years ago in 2021. The head coach he was under during his time with the Colts, Frank Reich, is now the head coach of the Carolina Panthers. Only one coach on the Colts staff now worked with Eberflus during his time in Indianapolis, that being TE coach Tom Manning who was also on the Colts staff during the 2018 season (Eberflus’ first year with the Colts).
While Eberflus' return to Indianapolis may lack the coaching relationships from his time here, many of the players he coached during his tenure remain.
- Shaquille Leonard
- DeForest Buckner
- Grover Stewart
- Zaire Franklin
- Julian Blackmon
- Kenny Moore II
- E.J. Speed
- Kwity Paye
- Dayo Odeyingbo
- Al-Quadin Muhammad
The Colts Run Game Without Jonathan Taylor
Colts' Offensive Coordinator Jim Bob Cooter was not pleased with the team's run game during their preseason opener.
Replacing any star in the NFL is a hefty task. And it is the reality the Colts could be facing as Jonathan Taylor is still not recovered from his ankle injury that cut his season short last year. On top of his public trade request from the team due to a lack of interest by the team to offer the RB a contract extension at this time.
The Colts running game won't improve overnight, but going up against a defensive scheme like Ebeflus' that puts a high demand on stopping the run will be a tough test. And I believe it is a test that ultimately will make the team's run game better.
Justin Fields Vs Anthony Richardson
Both the Bears and Colts have hope around their respective QB positions for the 1st time in a long time. And both also happen to have two of the best athletes playing the position in the entire league.
Last season Justin Fields was must-watch football. Any time he took a snap, a highlight reel play could be right around the corner. While Fields was extraordinary as a runner last season, he did struggle at times to be efficient in the passing game. To take the next step this year, he will need to focus on that area of his game. And with the Colts secondary having many questions surrounding it, these joint practices could be his first step toward that goal.
Rookie QB Anthony Richardson is coming off his first practice as the named starter of the Indianapolis Colts. And will now operate as the starter for both of the joint practices against the Bears. There won't be many QBs that Justin Fields sees across the field from him on game day that are better athletes on paper, but one of the QBs would be Anthony Richardson.
One of the perks of the Colts naming Anthony Richardson the starter is he can now have all the 1st team snaps. And those snaps with the Chicago Bears in town will be very valuable. The biggest knock on Richardson as a prospect was the fact that he only started 13 collegiate games.
And Head Coach Shane Steichen has mentioned time and time again since the Colts drafted Richardson the importance of getting him live game snaps. While the joint practices are not a live NFL game, it is the closest any practice rep will come to the real thing.
Both the Colts and Bears defenses will benefit from already facing top-tier athletes playing the QB position day in and day out in practice. But the answer we will wait to see answered is which will shine the brightest when they take the same field.
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