Chicago Bears: Practicing With Patriots Is Win-Win

The Chicago Bears know they have a lot of work to do after seeing the bothersome results of their first preseason game against the Broncos.

At the same time some people might look at it as a blessing in disguise. If the preseason mattered at all one could say the Bears have by far the toughest schedule of any team in the league. Not only did they lead off with the defending champions, now they’re headed east for joint practices with the perennial powerhouse New England Patriots in a lead-up to their week two game at Gillette Stadium.

The Patriots played in their fifth-straight AFC championship game last season and remain one of the most talented and best coached organizations out there. It might seem daunting to pit a young team that finished 6-10 last year against that level of excellence in practice, but there are many who disagree. In addition to getting the opportunity to practice against different players, schemes and styles there are other hidden benefits.

Offensive veterans Jay Cutler and Kyle Long explained via Chicago Sun-Times.

"“You get to see some different looks,” quarterback Jay Cutler said. “Go against a different competitor. So there are a lot of benefits. You go against a really well coached team over there.“They give us an idea of, really, where we’re at.”“We all know, perennially, they’re one of the better teams in the league,” Long said. “And it’s always good to go practice against somebody like that.”"

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Much will try to be made by the media of their reunion with former players Martellus Bennett and Shea McClellin, but the Chicago Bears coaches are more focused on helping their own players learn from the best and what it takes to be the best. It’s a time-honored tradition in professional competition that the quickest way to get better is by finding strong opponents and emulating what they do.

Even if the Patriots largely have their way with the Bears throughout the practices and in the game, it will be an experience that will leave a positive impression. At least then they’ll know that maybe they aren’t as good as they thought and will have to work doubly hard to get where they want to go.