Tomorrow, the Cleveland Browns will take on the Chicago Bears in our final exhibition game before the preseason. It won't be exciting in a way since the starters will only see one series at most, but for all of the backups, it'll be their last chance to show teams that they deserve to be on a 53-man roster. Tomorrow we'll have our official gameday preview, but as we did last week, we are scouting the opponent first. The Bears definitely have a tough defense, and are 1-2 in the preseason so far. Like the Bills though, there is an issue brewing at quarterback.
- Grossman's Job?: Although Rex Grossman is the team's starting quarterback, he has not been impressive in the preseason. He's only completing 50 percent of his passes, has yet to throw a touchdown, and has thrown two interceptions. Meanwhile, Brian Griese, the team's current backup quarterback, has thrown for four touchdowns and zero interceptions. Griese did very well with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers two years ago and the beginning of last year, and will probably play most of the game against the Browns. He's a smart quarterback, and will not force the ball very often. Grossman has trouble making reads, but will be looking for one solid drive before the season begins.
- Running Back Job?: Speaking of jobs, the Bears aren't completely settled on their starting running back either. Thomas Jones is healthy enough to play for the opening series, but second-year man Cedric Benson, who was supposed to be the starter, will not play due to a nagging injury. Adrian Peterson, whom the coaches are very high on as well, will probably see a fair amount of playing time after the starters take a seat.
- Too Much Indecision: As you've read above, the Bears have quarterback and running back issues. The only legitimate receiver they have is Muhsin Muhammad. The other receivers are not proven yet, but could produce better if Griese is the quarterback.
- Defensive Depth: It won't be easy to move the football against the Bears' first-unit defense. However, against the backups, it may be a different story. Teams have not had a lot of success against the Bears' first unit, but if the Browns execute as well as they did in last week's first drive, it'll be a breeze. Seeing as the Browns typically don't execute like that often though, a field goal would be a win-win situation for our offense. Derek Anderson and Ken Dorsey will face solid tests when they enter the game.