NFL News & Analysis

NFL Preseason Week 2 Game Recap: Indianapolis Colts 24, Chicago Bears 17

2RHYHP1 Chicago Bears quarterback Nathan Peterman (14) runs from the grasp of Indianapolis Colts defensive end Titus Leo (91) during the second half of an NFL preseason football game in Indianapolis, Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

The Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts took the field Saturday night after holding multiple joint practices during the week, which led to both teams not playing the vast majority of their starters in their preseason Week 2 battle. P.J. Walker started for Chicago and Gardner Minshew for Indianapolis, with Minshew getting the scoring started early in the second quarter.

Bears undrafted rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent went 9-of-10 on the most impressive drive of the game, which lasted more than nine minutes in the second quarter. Rookie running back Roschon Johnson racked up nearly half the yards on the drive en route to a touchdown to tie things up heading into the second half.



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Offensive spotlight: Colts wide receiver Juwann Winfree made a few key grabs, including the touchdown reception from Gardner Minshew over the outstretched fingers of Bears rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. Indianapolis signed former Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys wide receiver James Washington this week, and he made a gorgeous one-handed catch down the left sideline for 42 yards on a nice ball from quarterback Sam Ehlinger.

Bears quarterback Nathan Peterman threw a dart to the back right corner of the end zone, where Daurice Fountain made a nice snag over a defender for the score. Fountain had four receptions for 59 yards and the touchdown, leading all receivers in yards.

Defensive spotlight: Colts second-year safety Trevor Denbow out of SMU had a tackle for loss and followed that up with a sack when left unblocked. Sixth-round rookie edge defender Titus Leo also added a sack and a tackle for loss.

Bears edge defender Terrell Lewis forced a fumble on a sack where he cleanly beat rookie tackle Blake Freeland and then showed good bend to sharply turn the corner and make the play.

Rookie spotlight: Colts third-round rookie Josh Downs created quick separation at the line of scrimmage and hauled in two 10-yard receptions on third-down plays. Seventh-round rookie cornerback Jaylon Jones defended a few passes thrown in his direction and had five solo tackles, tying for the lead among all defenders.

Bears undrafted rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent and running back Roschon Johnson strung together the team's best drive at the end of the first half, marching 92 yards for a score with a Bagent rushing touchdown on the 17th play after Johnson racked up 32 rushing yards and added an 11-yard reception along the way.

Offensive line spotlight: The Chicago Bears rested their projected starters on the offensive line but have depth questions to sort out the next few weeks, particularly on the interior with players such as second-year guard Ja’Tyre Carter and former Las Vegas Raiders first-round pick Alex Leatherwood. Carter carried over a dominant performance in the run game last week with three positively-graded run blocks out of nine total this week.

The Colts also rested starters but held up fairly well in pass protection. Rookie Blake Freeland, a fourth-round pick tackle out of BYU, let up a sack but otherwise held his own on 19 total pass-blocking snaps.


Box Score

Passing
Chicago Bears
Player Fantasy Comp/Att Yds YPA TD Int
Nathan Peterman 10.8 10 / 18 115 6.4 1 0
Tyson Bagent 9.44 9 / 10 76 7.6 0 0
P.J. Walker 0.24 1 / 4 6 1.5 0 0
Indianapolis Colts
Player Fantasy Comp/Att Yds YPA TD Int
Sam Ehlinger 16.96 9 / 14 124 8.9 0 0
Gardner Minshew 8.28 13 / 15 107 7.1 1 0
Rushing
Chicago Bears
Player Fantasy Car Yds YPC TD Long
Nathan Peterman 10.8 4 22 5.5 0 13
Tyson Bagent 9.44 2 4 2 1 2
Robert Burns 7.6 8 40 5 0 12
Nsimba Webster 5.9 1 11 11 0 11
Roschon Johnson 5.3 7 32 4.6 0 14
D'Onta Foreman 2.8 3 12 4 0 9
Travis Homer 2.7 5 13 2.6 0 6
Indianapolis Colts
Player Fantasy Car Yds YPC TD Long
Sam Ehlinger 16.96 8 60 7.5 1 16
Jake Funk 11 5 18 3.6 1 6
Deon Jackson 4.3 3 8 2.7 0 3
Kenyan Drake 2.2 3 5 1.7 0 5
Evan Hull 2.2 4 13 3.2 0 7
Jason Huntley 1.9 8 19 2.4 0 5
Receiving
Chicago Bears
Player Fantasy Tgt Rec Yds YPT TD
Daurice Fountain 19.5 6 5 85 14.2 1
Robert Burns 7.6 5 3 16 3.2 0
Nsimba Webster 5.9 4 3 18 4.5 0
Roschon Johnson 5.3 1 1 11 11 0
Isaiah Ford 5.1 2 2 31 15.5 0
Dante Pettis 3.3 2 2 13 6.5 0
D'Onta Foreman 2.8 1 1 6 6 0
Travis Homer 2.7 1 1 4 4 0
Joe Reed 2.1 3 1 11 3.7 0
Stephen Carlson 1.2 3 1 2 0.7 0
Equanimeous St. Brown 0 1 0 0 0 0
Lachlan Pitts 0 2 0 0 0 0
Indianapolis Colts
Player Fantasy Tgt Rec Yds YPT TD
Juwann Winfree 12.4 6 4 24 4 1
Jake Funk 11 1 1 2 2 0
D.J. Montgomery 5.9 2 2 39 19.5 0
James Washington 5.2 1 1 42 42 0
Amari Rodgers 5.2 4 3 22 5.5 0
Will Mallory 4.9 2 2 29 14.5 0
Deon Jackson 4.3 2 2 15 7.5 0
Josh Downs 4 3 2 20 6.7 0
Breshad Perriman 2.4 2 1 14 7 0
Pharaoh Brown 2.4 1 1 14 14 0
Kenyan Drake 2.2 1 1 7 7 0
Evan Hull 2.2 1 1 -1 -1 0
Jason Huntley 1.9 1 0 0 0 0
Michael Jacobson 1.4 1 1 4 4 0
Kody Case 0 1 0 0 0 0

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