It's less than one hour to kick-off between the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears. Most Bears fans would agree that this is one of the most anticipated season openers in a long time. Here are our predictions for week one.
Darren: Colts receiver Austin Collie is out this week, leaving the Colts thin at the wide receiver position. Donnie Avery steps in opposite Reggie Wayne. For the Bears, Brian Urlacher is playing in today's game and while we're not sure how injured his knee is, he can probably still be effective at 70 percent due to the Colts needing to game plan for him.
On display today will be the Colts' new 3-4 defense as well as the Jay Cutler-to-Brandon Marshall connection. I think the Bears are able to run the ball today while mixing in some big play-action passing plays to ensure a victory.
Perhaps the biggest storyline of this game is rookie quarterback Andrew Luck making his regular season debut. The Bears defense can hopefully generate some pressure with the front four to cause some rookie mistakes.
Ultimately, I feel that Andrew Luck will be a star someday, but this is his first game. I think the Bears will do enough to confuse him and it will be a good learning experience for him.
Final Score: Bears over the Colts 24-13.
Matt: This is the third straight season the Bears open at Soldier Field. In 2010, the Bears beat the Detroit Lions 19-14 following a "no catch" call against Calvin Johnson. The season ended up being a success with the Bears finishing 11-5 and making a run to the NFC Championship game. Last season, the Bears dominated the Atlanta Falcons on the lake front, beating them 30-12. That season finished with injuries to Jay Cutler and Matt Forte, and the Bears ended at 8-8.
My point? Don't get too excited or hit the panic button too soon after today. Chicago sports fans are prone to overreact, but the NFL is an odd league where parity reigns supreme. If the Bears smash the Colts, fans will probably start the Super Bowl talk. But if they eek out a close one or... gulp... lose, radio stations will be flooded with calls about how the Bears are in trouble.
Looking at this week one match-up, the Colts are in full rebuilding mode, changing their roster and switching to a 3-4 defense. The Bears used their most creative offensive packages against the Washington Redskins this preseason. Coincidence? Things might start off slow, but the Bears could hit their stride by the second half.
On the other side, Colts quarterback Andrew Luck might throw for yardage today against the Bears cover two. He might have a touchdown or two through the air, but Luck is still a rookie facing a defense that is one of the best at creating takeaways.
Final Score: Bears beat the Colts 27-16.
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