The Indianapolis Colts defeated the Chicago Bears, 24-17, at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday night during the second preseason game of the year.
Even though the starting units for either side didn’t see the field following the joint practices earlier this week, there were still plenty of fireworks.
The Colts offense was efficient for the majority of the night and kept the ball secure. They made the most of their red-zone trips and enjoyed some explosive plays from new faces. Meanwhile, the defense was solid on third downs and got stops late in the game to secure the win.
Here’s our recap from the Colts’ preseason win over the Bears:
Final Score: Colts 24, Bears 17
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final | |
| Bears | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
| Colts | 0 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 24 |
It was over when...
Colts DE Khalid Kareem sacked Nathan Peterman on the final play of the game as the clock wound down to the end of regulation.
Keys to the game
- The Colts were perfect in the red zone up until their final drive of the game, converting a touchdown on three of their trips inside the 20-yard line. They settled for a field goal on the fourth.
- The offense outgained the Bears offense 343-310.
- The Colts won the turnover battle 1-0.
- The defense held the Bears offense to 5-of-14 (36%) on third-down attempts.
- The Colts failed to convert on either of their two fourth-down attempts.
3 Stars of the game
- QB Sam Ehlinger: The third-year quarterback completed 9-of-14 passes for 124 yards and added eight carries for 60 rushing yards and a touchdown.
- QB Gardner Minshew: Getting the start, Minshew completed 13-of-15 passes for 107 yards and one touchdown.
- CB Jaylon Jones: The rookie continues to be physical in phase, forcing a pass breakup while showing some physical closing speed.
No starters
Most of the starting offense and defense didn’t play Saturday night likely due to the fact that they had a lot of reps during the joint training camp practices. That meant no Anthony Richardson and the starting offense, and it’s unclear if they will get time during the preseason finale.
Injuries
- DE Khalid Kareem exited with a rib injury in the second half but returned to the game.
- CB Darius Rush left the game with a hip injury in the second half.
- LB JoJo Domann was evaluated for a head injury and cleared to return. He then exited with a calf injury and didn’t return.
Quick Hits
- WR James Washington led the offense with 42 receiving yards, which he gained on his lone reception.
- WR Juwann Winfree got the Colts on the board with a nifty touchdown reception in the back of the end zone during the second quarter. He led the team with four receptions.
- QB Sam Ehlinger led the team with 60 rushing yards. The next closest player had 19 rushing yards.
- S Nick Cross led the team with eight tackles (five solo).
- Rookie DE Titus Leo had a strong game, adding a sack, a quarterback hit, a tackle for loss and a batted pass.
- In all, the Colts defense recorded four sacks.
- K Matt Gay bounced back, connecting on his only extra-point attempt and his only field-goal attempt from 35 yards.
What's next?
Head coach Shane Steichen will meet with the media Sunday. The Colts will hold a joint training camp practice with the Philadelphia Eagles on Tuesday ahead of their preseason finale on Thursday, Aug. 24.
