Aug. 27--Anyone who followed the Bears' 2014 preseason would dispute that exhibition games are meaningless -- at least the third game, which teams use as a dress rehearsal for the season opener.
In Game 3 last summer, the Bears' starters fell behind 31-0 by halftime on the road against the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks. The Bears obviously didn't match up well against an elite team, and in hindsight it's easy to see that was a premonition for a 5-11 debacle.
Fox wasn't here for that, of course, but he is eager to continue evaluating his team Saturday against the Bengals. For him, the outcome won't necessarily predict how the season is going to play out. But considering this is only his third game in charge, and given that the starters are expected to play into the second half, he still has a lot to learn.
"Feeling the emotion, feel the energy, see their eyes -- you know, things that are all important when you sit in my seat," he said. "It's real important to understand your football team."
This week, Fox has preached to his players the importance of improving their play from last week's 23-11 road victory over the Colts. It's a vague message, but players know what they did rigth and wrong in the Colts game, so Fox believes players understand it.
"It's a small focus, and my experience is to keep the focus small, and they usually respond better," he said.
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