The Chicago Bears are hitting the road for the first and last time during the preseason when they face the Kansas City Chiefs Friday night in their preseason finale.
Kansas City has been to the Super Bowl three years in a row. And while they were blown out in the most recent appearance, the Patrick Mahomes-Andy Reid era of Chiefs football already has three rings and counting.
The Bears are only going to see Mahomes and starters for a little bit, so this will hardly be a true measuring stick. Still, they will have reps against an elite team with their best players going for the first time this preseason.
Friday night’s game presents one last chance for roster bubble players to state their case for a roster spot ahead of roster cuts on Tuesday. Then, the countdown is on for the Week 1 opener against the Minnesota Vikings. With that in mind, here are five things to keep an eye on in the preseason finale.
How does Caleb Williams follow up his impressive Week 2 performance?
Caleb Williams only played two series against the Buffalo Bills last week — and against Buffalo’s backups — but he still looked impressive under center. You need to take a step back and remember the circumstances of that great showing. However, it’s better than the alternative. Williams was running a smooth operation with Ben Johnson calling the plays. He made his reads, threw the ball well, and drove down the field for a touchdown on the first drive of the game.
How can Williams follow up on that performance? He may see some better players this week as Kansas City plans to use starters. If Williams has another great showing, despite it likely being a limited amount of action again, it will be another step in the right direction.
Will there be any more clarity on the starting left tackle job?
Is Braxton Jones going to keep his job at left tackle? Is Ozzy Trapilo out of the running and destined to be a swing tackle? Is Theo Benedet a serious candidate to snag the position? Going into the third preseason game, the battle will continue. (Although reporters seem to think Jones has the clear advantage).
All eyes will be on who lines up with the first-team offense to open the game (where it’s expected to be Jones), although Benedet should also get reps. It’ll be interesting to see if Trapilo gets another look at left tackle or if they want to keep him at right tackle for now. But the Bears need to make a decision at left tackle — although Ben Johnson made it clear it won’t necessarily be the long-term answer.
How does the defense look against Patrick Mahomes?
You probably shouldn’t expect to see the Patrick Mahomes that has shown up in the regular season and playoffs since making his NFL debut all those years ago. However, he is still Patrick Mahomes, the best quarterback in the NFL right now.
If the Bears’ defense does enough to keep him quiet for a preseason game, that could give them the confidence they need to go into Week 1 feeling great. If the previous preseason games are any indication, Dennis Allen is going to be aggressive and give his guys a chance to impress and make things a little difficult on the two-time MVP.
What’s going on with the defensive backfield?
Left tackle isn’t the only notable battle on the roster as the second cornerback job opposite Pro Bowler Jaylon Johnson is still up for grabs. Johnson has been out dealing with a leg injury suffered before training camp, but is expected to be ready for Week 1 against the Vikings.
In his spot, Nashon Wright has elevated his play and became a legitimate candidate for the CB2 job opposite Johnson. That would force Tyrique Stevenson into a depth role on the team, which could be the motivation he needs to be the best version of himself. Stevenson is the second most talented cornerback on the team, but he has to go out there and show his focus level is where it needs to be.
The injuries that have plagued the defensive backfield — including losing Terell Smith for the season to a knee injury — put a question mark on a group that came into camp seen as a strength of the team. We’ll see how they do against a Mahomes-led offense on Friday night.
Even though it’s preseason, how does Ben Johnson’s coaching match up against Andy Reid’s?
Speaking of Andy Reid, he’s seen as the best coach in the NFL right now. He’s a high-end Hall of Fame leader in the history of the league. Ben Johnson, one of the league’s offensive gurus, has his sights set on becoming a high-end coach like Reid. It’s going to take time, effort, and winning, but he has what it takes to get it done if his players perform to the best of their ability.
It’s only a preseason game, but how will Johnson do coaching against Reid? Even though it doesn’t count, it matters. You know that Johnson will do what he can to win a football game if the opportunity presents itself. This game will be a great indication of how his team operates next to Reid’s.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 5 storylines to watch in Bears’ preseason finale vs. Chiefs
Reporting by Vincent Parise, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
