Nearly four years will have passed by the time the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts meet in Week 4 of the 2020 NFL season. The two, of course, met in Super Bowl XLI, with three other meetings since then. The rosters look drastically different as historical figures like Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison on the Colts side have both retired.
The Bears, too, have seen a new generation of defensive talent come through after Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, and Charles Tillman all have moved on.
The Colts were rocked at the beginning of the 2019 season when Andrew Luck suddenly retired, leaving them scrambling at the quarterback position. Jacoby Brissett led them to a 7-9 record, and with the addition of Philip Rivers in the offseason, the Colts are primed to make another run at the postseason.
Key Additions:
QB Philip Rivers, DT DeForest Buckner, TE Trey Burton, DT Sheldon Day, CB Xavier Rhodes
Key Losses:
TE Eric Ebron, OL Josh Andrews, WR Devin Funchess
2019 Offensive Rankings:
Total Offense (25), Rushing Offense (7), Passing Offense (30)
2019 Defensive Rankings:
Total Defense (16), Rushing Defense (7), Passing Defense (23)
Season Series:
Colts 24-19
What have you done for me lately?
The Colts have taken three out of the last five contests, but they haven’t won at Soldier Field since 2004. Before that, the Colts’ last victory at Soldier Field came in 1975 when they were still located in Baltimore, and Bert Jones was under center.
Key Stats:
Despite leaving Chicago with a victory last year – although thanks should be in order for Eddy Pineiro – Philip Rivers has a career 84.5 quarterback rating against the Bears, the second-lowest of any team with at least a four-game sample size.
It will also mark the first time that Chuck Pagano game-plans against his former employer.
Check out game-by-game score predictions from around the NFL Wires network:
Buf / Mia / NE / NYJ // Bal / Cin / Cle / Pit // Hou / Ind / Jax / Ten // Den / KC / LV / LAC //// Dal / NYG / Phi / Was // Chi / Det / GB / Min // Atl / Car / NO / TB // Ari / LAR / SF / Sea
