How Colts Can Validate Fast Start by the Bears

The Chicago Bears haven't hit a crossroad so much as they've reached a point where they can finally prove they should be taken seriously.

The Indianapolis Colts (2-1) come to Soldier Field Sunday for what is now a 3:25 p.m. game and for the first time no one can doubt the strength of the Bears' opposition.

The Lions were the opener and played without Kenny Golladay while losing half their secondary in the game to injuries. The Giants lost Saquon Barkely and Sterling Shepard in the first half of their game, and the Falcons were without receiver Julio Jones and eventually more than half of their severely challenged secondary.

The Colts have no such problems.

If Nick Foles is to win a first start of the season for the seventh time in nine tries, he'll be beating the league's No. 1 defense.

"When you are getting touchdowns on defense and scoring points on defense, your percentages for the opposing team go way down," coach Matt Nagy said. "We need to make sure ball security is No. 1. That's every game, but they've shown here what they can do.

"They're an opportunistic defense and you have to stay ahead of the sticks as well. Now that's kind of generic saying that, but that’s real. Their stats aren't fluffed up at all. They're a really good defense."

The Colts have brought two picks back for touchdowns, including one by rejuvenated former Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes.

The Colts on defense have allowed no more than 151 yards passing in any game. They've taken the ball away three times in each of their last two games.

"He's a guy you respect but at the same time you have to trust your guys to make plays," Foles said. "Just be aware, knowing he's a talented guy and when you're dropping back and you put a ball up, it's a 50/50 ball, it's a little harder with a guy who has really good ball skills, as he’s shown these last couple of weeks."

The Bears will find the Colts no less dangerous on offense, behind quarterback Philip Rivers at age 38 and with a different team than they faced him on last year.

"He's still the Philip Rivers that I've been accustomed to playing," Bears safety Tashaun Gipson said. "When he's hot, he's hot and you know the biggest thing is just to get to him and taking advantage of opportunities. Because he's definitely a confident quarterback. So there will be opportunities on the back end to be able to be made but at the same time he's just a good, savvy vet."

Some of the more effective passes have been dump-offs to Jonathan Taylor, who has one 100-yard rushing game as well.

"When he catches the ball, he can take it the distance," Nagy said. "When he hits a crease in the run game, he can take it the distance. But where it all starts is up front and that offensive line that they have is dominant. They're very physical, they're nasty. They do a lot of good things in the run game."

According to playoffstatus.com, the Bears at 3-0 have a 75% chance of making the playoffs. If they beat the Colts to go 4-0, they'll have an 83% chance at the playoffs according to the website.

They'll also silent many of the critics who claim they've proven nothing by beating up on the dredges of the NFC even while shuffling between quarterback Mitchell Trubisky to Foles.

"It's exciting for a lot of different reasons," Nagy said. "Not necessarily for the quarterback as much as just right now for our team honestly. We feel like we're in a good place. We're going up against a really good football team that is going to come in and challenge us.

"It'll be interesting to see offensively how we do against a really good defense."

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