John Fox has had a bumpy start to his time in Chicago (Getty).
Andrew Luck looks to get back into form as the Colts welcome the Bears on Saturday. Luck should see more playing time from last week, as the Colts build towards their season opener September 13th against Buffalo.
For Chicago, getting into game action will be refreshing considering the scrutiny the team has been under in recent days. The trickle of injury updates for rookie receiver Kevin White was an embarrassment, and Chicago is trending in the wrong direction heading into the season.
Here’s a look at everything you need to know:
Game Information
Don’t expect to see too much Andrew Luck on the field Saturday night (Getty).
Date: Saturday, August 22, 2015
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis IN
TV Channel: WFLD in Chicago; WXIN in Indianapolis. Click here for a full list of local affiliates
Live Stream: NFL.com
Odds: Colts -3, Over/Under 41, via OddsShark.com
Bears Player to Watch: Adrian Amos
A fifth-round pick from Penn State, Adrian Amos is starting tonight opposite Andrew Luck (Getty).
The Bears needed to improve on their secondary last season, as they gave up the third most passing yards in the NFL last season. In free agency they signed Antrel Rolle, but let secondary staple Charles Tillman sign with the Panthers.
Given the lack of depth and the success Kyle Fuller had last year, the Bears are giving the young players chances to start. The latest is fifth-round pick Adrian Amos, who will start at safety alongside Rolle. Amos was given the nod over more experienced safeties Brock Vereen and Ryan Mundy, and has a chance to keep the job with a strong performance tonight.
Colts Player to Watch: Vick Ballard
After battling back from injuries, Vick Ballard is active for tonight’s game (Getty).
The lone weak group of Indy’s offense last season was the running back position. Injuries and a lackluster Trent Richardson forced Andrew Luck to pass 616 times last season, third-most in the NFL. The Colts signed Frank Gore to help fix that problem, but will also get a boost when Vick Ballard returns to full strength.
Ballard was a potential starter in 2014 before his season was ended in training camp with a torn Achilles. Now full recovered, Ballard makes his return agaist the Bears. With Gore in the picture, Ballard will have to fight harder than ever to earn touches in the Colts’ offense.