Chicago entered the season with some offensive line questions, and losing center Hroniss Grasu to a torn ACL just made things look more troubling. The exhibition opener against the Broncos only increased those worries.
Granted, Denver has one of the league's best defenses -- maybe the very best -- and Chicago's starters only played three series. But the team got shut out, and those starters managed all of one first down in those three series.
Chicago quarterbacks were sacked 7 times, which doesn't bode well for Jay Cutler's odds of staying healthy or being productive. The team's running backs combined to carry 15 times for 34 yards; just 2.3 yards per carry.
The good news for the Bears is that the Broncos don't show up on the schedule this year. But the Packers and Vikings do, twice each, and those teams will have pretty solid pass rushes. If the running game struggles, defenses will be able to come hard after Cutler.
This article dissects the performance. It's early, but not an encouraging start for Chicago.
--Andy Richardson