Testing, Testing...

I haven't said too much about the specifics of any Bears preseason games, and for good reason - preseason football results are mostly meaningless ("my borderline NFL players are better than your borderline NFL players"). If you don't believe me, ask the NFL owners, who are trying to extend the regular season to 18 games while eliminating 2 preseason games (yes, I know it's about increasing revenue, but there's more revenue to be had because they'd be exchanging two meaningless games for two games that count).

Nevertheless, this Saturday's preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals offers an intriguing test for the Bears' defense, but not in the way you'd think. This is not the same Cardinals team that came to Chicago last November and steamrolled the Bears 41-21 (after jumping out to a 31-7 halftime lead). Without the retired Kurt Warner and the injured Larry Fitzgerald, the Cardinals offense has struggled in their two preseason games. Matt Leinart (Warner's replacement) has completed 10 of 13 passes but only for 77 yards in the two games, and the Cardinals' first-team offense has thus far generated only 4 first downs and no points.

Therefore, the Bears defense is in a no-win situation this week. If they perform well, it doesn't say much, because everyone's first-team defense has stopped the Cardinals. But if the Cardinals offense plays well this week after looking so bad for the last two weeks, it will be a sign that the defense is in trouble and that Bears fans are in for a difficult season.