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The Chicago Bears and the Indianapolis Colts held the first of two joint practices today, with the other coming tomorrow. The practices were closed to the public, but a few beat reporters managed to squeeze onto the practice field at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center.
Today's practice was scheduled to be two hours in full pads and tomorrow will be just shells. Colts head coach Chuck Pagano was asked how the practices would go and he said, "We are going to give them a bunch of different situational stuff, third-down, red-zone, two-minute. We won't do any short yardage, any goal line."
Here's something to keep in mind as the Bears practice with a team that has gone 11-5 for the last three seasons. The Colts have a much deeper roster, something Pagano alluded to here,
"Our roster is probably better right now than it's been at any point, so we are going to say good-bye to a lot of good players."
... so once Indy cuts down to 75 and then cuts to 53, the Bears will have had an up close and personal look at some possible roster additions.
The Colts had a few players not participate today, but their high powered offense was intact. The Bears didn't get to see OLB Robert Mathis, G Donald Thomas, ILB Nate Irving, RB Boom Herron, CB Donald Celiscar, CB D'Joun Smith and OLB Daniel Adongo.
Bears not participating at practice were WR Alshon Jeffery, WR Kevin White, RB Daniel Thomas and TE Chris Pantale (who is the only Bear to not make the trip).
Back up QB David Fales saw a little action after missing most of training camp with an undisclosed illness and OLB Willie Young was mixed into the 11 on 11 stuff today.
Bears corner Tracy Porter left the scrimmage with a hamstring strain, this is his 2nd hammy issue this summer.
During the team scrimmage stuff the two teams mostly matched up 1s vs 1s and 2s vs 2s (etc.), so it provided a good test for the rebuilding Bears.
Here are a few quick hitting Tweets...
Here's one obvious tweet for day: Rookie WR Phillip Dorsett can fly. Just caught long reception over Mitchell 7 on 7. #Bears #Colts
— Arthur Arkush (@ArthurArkush) August 19, 2015
That's Colts rookie Dorsett and his 4.33 forty speed against Bears' corner Terrance Mitchell, who was a 7th round pick of the Cowboys in 2014. Mitchell fell in the draft, in part, due to a 4.63 forty.
Watching #Bears first-team offense vs. #Colts first-team defense. So far Cutler 3 passes to RBs on designed plays. 2 to Forte.
— Jamey Eisenberg (@JameyEisenberg) August 19, 2015
#Bears rookie RB Jeremy Langford fumbles on second-team running play vs. #Colts No. 2 defense.
— Bob LeGere (@BobLeGere) August 19, 2015
We haven't really heard about any fumbling issues so far this offseason from the Bears.
Biggest highlight for Colts offense vs #Bears defense so far is Luck to Fleener for long completion in seam over McClellin.
— Adam Jahns (@adamjahns) August 19, 2015
#Bears D bounces back, forces 3 straight Luck misses to start 3rd period of 11on11s. #Colts
— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) August 19, 2015
In a two-minute drill, #Bears defense holds Andrew Luck and Colts to a field goal.
— Adam Jahns (@adamjahns) August 19, 2015
#Bears QB Jay Cutler connects with TE Martellus Bennett on crossing route vs. #Colts.
— Bob LeGere (@BobLeGere) August 19, 2015
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bears?src=hash">#Bears</a> defenses forces Andrew Luck to scramble but rush stopped once it got close. McClellin also appeared to have "sack" on earlier play.</p>— Adam Jahns (@adamjahns) <a href="https://twitter.com/adamjahns/status/634080750799880192">August 19, 2015</a></blockquote>
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#bears getting decent pressure on Luck. Always hard to tell because rush lets up. But when he has time he's carving up @fox32news #colts
— EvanFitzgeraldFox32 (@EvanWFitzgerald) August 19, 2015
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bears?src=hash">#Bears</a> defenses forces Andrew Luck to scramble but rush stopped once it got close. McClellin also appeared to have "sack" on earlier play.</p>— Adam Jahns (@adamjahns) <a href="https://twitter.com/adamjahns/status/634080750799880192">August 19, 2015</a></blockquote>
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In practice vs. #Colts, #Bears No. 2 QB Jimmy Clausen hits WR Cameron Meredith from ISU and St. Joe's in Westchester.
— Bob LeGere (@BobLeGere) August 19, 2015
#Bears LB Jon Bostic misses chance at interception on bad pass by Matt Hasselbeck over the middle.
— Adam Jahns (@adamjahns) August 19, 2015
1s back on the field in #Bears practice vs. #Colts and Jay Cutler rolls left and finds TE Dante Rosario along same sideline.
— Bob LeGere (@BobLeGere) August 19, 2015
Uneventful session between #Colts and Bears. Luck was sharp, 14-20 in 11-on-11drills..
— George Bremer (@gmbremer) August 19, 2015
Cutler: I definitely think they won the day. We will have some good tape to look at. #bears @colts @fox32news @foxkickoff
— EvanFitzgeraldFox32 (@EvanWFitzgerald) August 19, 2015
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Any interceptions today Jay? "there was one in one-on-ones, nothing during team stuff." <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bears?src=hash">#Bears</a></p>— Adam Jahns (@adamjahns) <a href="https://twitter.com/adamjahns/status/634106883108904960">August 19, 2015</a></blockquote>
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</script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Incident free day in Indy for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bears?src=hash">#Bears</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Colts?src=hash">#Colts</a> joint practice. Head Coach John Fox pleased with all around work day. <a href="http://t.co/8yFxb1jPCh">pic.twitter.com/8yFxb1jPCh</a></p>— Steve Dresner (@stevedresner) <a href="https://twitter.com/stevedresner/status/634105986878455808">August 19, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Any thoughts on the scrimmage?
We'll be back at it with some info tomorrow, so stay tuned...