OFFENSE
From watching tape of the Colts defense and looking at the numbers the Bears should be ready for a gritty, physical game. Mentally they should expect it. The Colts make you earn every yard. So far, the defense is allowing a league-low 4.39 yards-per-play.
New Bears starting QB Nick Foles faced this Colts defense last November in his first game back from a shoulder injury, and the offense managed 5.3 yards-per-play with no benefit at all from the running game and no trips to the red zone. Success in the run throughout Sunday’s game will take some pressure off Foles and open up some passing lanes.
Protecting the ball is always critical, of course, but the Colts are “ball hawking” right now. In fact, that is what Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eburflus writes on the defensive whiteboard every week. The Colts lead the league with six interceptions and two touchdowns.
The Bears want to move the sticks and get first downs, but the Colts have allowed a league-low 44, including an average of only seven passing first downs. Patience in moving the ball is required, but the Colts like to use that patience against an offense and force mistakes.
DEFENSE
Colts Head Coach Frank Reich likes to run the ball and will likely try to set that tone against the Bears. No coach or defender on the Bears is pleased with the numbers against the run so far. Teams are gaining 5.3 yards a carry on first down, which is a perfect set up for veteran QB Philip Rivers.
The trench battle is going to be fun to watch, what with a terrific Colts offensive line led by the physical and nasty left guard out of Notre Dame, Quenton Nelson, against the Bears' highly respected front seven, led by Akiem Hicks, Kahlil Mack, and Roquan Smith.
Rookie running back Jonathan Taylor replaces the injured Marlon Mack and is getting adjusted to the NFL, but a workhorse back with speed and explosion. He is complemented by a big back in Jordan Wilkins, who averages better than 5.6 yards-per-carry in his career and the same average in the passing game.
Rivers likes using his running backs in the passing game, especially the screen game, with 27 of his passes going in their direction good for 26 catches and a nice chunk of yards after the catch.
Taking away the run may force the ball into Rivers' hands and give the Bears an opportunity to unleash their vicious pass rush, which over the last two games has collected 33 pressures, a bunch of big hits, six sacks and three turnovers.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Regardless of potential, skill set, speed, or quickness, there is only one trait a special teams coordinator mandates in his punt returner and that is good hands. Securing the ball supersedes everything.
Tarik Cohen proved to be reliable and durable, but is shelved with a torn ACL for the season, so his replacement will be someone with trusty hands. At this time, Matt Nagy isn’t revealing his plan for that spot.
Darnell Mooney is number one on the Bears' released depth chart at the position, with Anthony Miller backing him up. Mooney had only one college punt return at Tulane, but worked on it during training camp. Anthony Miller threatens with his speed and quickness in the open field.
Miller’s first crack at punt returns came last week against the Falcons, and he did a nice job at securing the ball. Outdoors battling the high noon sun at Soldier Field and the tricky winds off Lake Michigan is a bigger challenge for any player. At Memphis, Miller returned 20 punts for an average of 6.8-yards.
Cairo Santos must outkick Colts rookie Rodrigo Blankenship, who has two field goal misses in 10 attempts in this, his rookie season, and with no time invested to understand the difficulty of kicking at Soldier Field.
INTANGIBLES
Will the Bears get a bounce from the “Foles Factor”? He propped them up in the come-from-behind win in Atlanta, and has quickly earned trust from the players. The anticipation is that a bounce into Week Four comes from a week of practice and a week of a new leadership.
That “Run to the L” instruction to WR Anthony Miller last week in Atlanta on the clinching touchdown throw to the stenciled bold end zone letters “ATL” could become a keystone moment for the offense, but only if the trust takes and the offense keeps scoring touchdowns.
Jeff Joniak is the play-by-play announcer for Bears games broadcast on WBBM Newsradio. Find him on Twitter at @JeffJoniak.