Broncos-Bears Game Thread

The new-look Denver Broncos face the Chicago Bears in the preseason opener for the second consecutive season with a new offensive line

Thursday, the Denver Broncos commence the Vance Joseph era. They square off against the Chicago Bears in the preseason opener at Soldier Field.

Among the topics hotly contested since the commencement of Broncos training camp is the quarterback battle.

We do know that Broncos president of football operations/general manager John Elway likes both Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch.

Upon the release of the Broncos’ first depth chart, interestingly Lynch and Siemian each appear as possible starters.

Siemian, who played in the Chicagoland area at Northwestern as a collegian, gets the nod Thursday evening.

Meanwhile, Lynch gets the start August 19th at San Francisco. So it does little good to address the quarterback situation for the time being.

However, a passel of Broncos get their first NFL action Thursday. Among those is first-round draft choice Garett Boles, who gets the nod at left tackle at Chicago.

Additionally, the Broncos’ new-look offensive line features right tackle Menelik Watson. He previously played for  the Oakland Raiders.

The hope, from team brass, is that he supplants 2016 weak links Ty Sambrailo and Donald Stephenson. Neither of whom were up to snuff when it counted.

If nothing else, they were responsible for injuries to Siemian last season. The injuries stymied his progress, forcing Lynch to come in before he was ready.

What else to look for

Additionally, look for other 2017 draft picks, such as tailback DeAngelo Henderson and receiver Isaiah McKenzie to get some looks as well.

Defensively, the Broncos will give outside linebackers DeMarcus Walker and Kasim Edibali their first opportunities in orange and blue as well.

The Broncos have a businesslike approach to this game which I appreciate:

This makes all the sense in the world for a team with a new head coach and uncertainty at the QB position.

Instilling a winning formula from the beginning is the best way for a newcomer to succeed. As NFL analyst Sterling Sharpe once said “the preseason doesn’t count, but it does matter.”

The forecast suggests the Chicago weather may be a bit unpredictable Thursday on the shores of Lake Michigan.

If the Chicago National Weather Service is to be believed, one would think the foul weather should be gone by the 7:00 pm CDT kickoff. However, if lighting and thunder appear during the game, there will be delays so watch for that.

Next: One-on-One with Bear Goggles On

While the game is broadcast nationally on NFL Network, it is also available on all of these over-the-air channels, per 506 Sports.

Well, this is your game thread. Use it accordingly. If any Bears fans should arrive, treat them kindly, the Broncos way. GO BRONCOS!!!