Chicago Bears @ Indianapolis Colts (IND -1.5, 43.5)
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Chicago Bears @ Indianapolis Colts
The Chicago Bears hype train has officially derailed. The fans are experiencing uncomfortable deja vu of the early Justin Fields days, lamenting the years of neglect along the offensive line. When will this franchise learn!? Caleb Williams entered the league as arguably the most exciting quarterback prospect we have ever seen, but poor o-line play and questionable play calling from Shane Waldren has got the alarm bells ringing.
Of course, it is worth noting that Monday Night’s loss came against a very talented Houston side that looks ready to challenge for a Super Bowl, and Caleb was without a very reliable weapon in Keenan Allen. Despite all that, he did at least look much more composed earlier in the game. This week, he will face a much less potent defense that is also going to be without the very talented DeForest Buckner at defensive tackle and potentially Laitu Latu coming off the edge.
The Colts are pressuring quarterbacks on 27% of dropbacks, but without both of those players - or at least one, plus a limited Latu - Caleb might finally get a little bit of breathing space. Also, the Colts have given up a league-leading 474 yards on the ground through two weeks. So far, the Bears have only been able to generate 77.5 rushing yards per game, which is abysmal, but this softer front may allow them to have a more balanced approach, which will also help Caleb. Add in the fact that Indy ranked 28th in PFF’s preseason secondary rankings, and this should result in a much better outing for Caleb in Week 3.
On the Colts' side of things, nobody really knows what to expect from Anthony Richardson. He has completed just 49% of his passes so far this season for 416 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. He has delivered one of the greatest NFL throws ever seen in week 1, but also some pretty lacklustre, wayward passes as well. He is, of course, a very dangerous rusher, but his volatility and questionable decisions result in a very wide range of outcomes.
That is very good news for a Chicago defense that is emerging as one of the best in the NFL. Through two weeks, they have given up the 5th fewest yards and the 7th fewest points, and that includes a game against C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans. Their elite secondary will be on red alert this weekend, as they know they are going to get at least a couple of opportunities for turnovers from Richardson.
Of course, whilst the downside outcome from Richardson is pretty low every week, his ceiling potential is sky-high. His partnership with Jonathan Taylor in the backfield is about as good as any in the NFL, and Michael Pittman Junior, Adonai Mitchell, Josh Downs (injury-pending), and Alec Pierce offer a dynamic receiving corps that can beat you in many different ways. Chicago will have to be alert, but I think the matchup is good for them on both sides of the ball, hopefully leading to a far more productive day for Caleb.
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