It’s the Mitchell Trubisky game as the new Buffalo Bills backup QB faces the Chicago Bears, who took him #2 overall in the 2017 draft. Trubisky gets the start at his former stomping grounds of Soldier Field after Buffalo announced that franchise QB Josh Allen will be kept out of this one. The Bears are -4.5 favorites Saturday afternoon.
What to Expect From Trubisky?
Trubisky will get a bulk of the action in the week 2 preseason game in Chicago. Buffalo staff is high on the former #2 pick, but eased him in slowly last week as Trubisky was just 1-2 for 10 yards in his Bills debut last week.
Buffalo did tally a 16-15 win in their preseason opener at Detroit, one of a plethora of low scoring games as most teams began their exhibition season. The Bills were up 13-3 over the Lions at the half, a positive sign for their 1st and 2nd string defensive units. Detroit added 12 points in the 4th quarter though, showing Buffalo may be a bit vulnerable down the depth chart.
How will Buffalo play their 2nd preseason game. With Allen not taking snaps it doesn’t make a ton of sense to have Stefon Diggs or Emmanuel Sanders get reps to work on chemistry. Aside from Trubisky, the Bills will also give Jake Fromm and Davis Webb some work, and they combined to go 19 for 29 with a TD vs. the Lions.
Bears Have New QB of the Future
While their playing time may not overlap much, Saturday’s game is a matchup of the old (Trubisky) vs. the new in Justin Fields. Chicago hopes they have found their bi-annual “QB of the Future” in Fields, the former Ohio State signal caller that was 14/20 for 142 yards and a TD last week while also running for 33 and another TD.
Fields led the 20-13 comeback win over the Dolphins last week working as the 2nd stringer. Chicago has arguably the most experienced preseason depth outside of Fields though, as 10-year vet Andy Dalton was 2-4 for 18 yards last week. 9-year vet Nick Foles worked with the 3rd string last week, completing 1 of 3 passes.
The Chicago secondary will be a weakness of theirs all season, and Miami starter Tua Tagovailoa was sharp in completing 8 of 11 passes last week. Veteran Jacoby Brissett also tossed a 23 yard TD as the Dolphins built up a 13-0 lead with just over a minute left in the 1st half.
Prediction
Trubisky definitely has something to prove in this one, as his time in Chicago was definitely tumultuous. Fields was great last week, but by all accounts he’s also had a couple rough days in practice this week. Saturday is the ‘back to reality’ game for the rookie.
Bills 20 – Bears 13
Free Pick
Bills +4.5
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