On Saturday, the Chicago Bears face the Buffalo Bills in the first week of the preseason, and there will be plenty of exciting action.
Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams will make his season debut against the Bills after not playing in last week’s extra Hall of Fame game. Coach Matt Eberflus said Williams and healthy starters will have a “variety of plays” against the Bills on Saturday, but did not give an exact number of plays. Eberflus previously said the goal is to allow Williams 45-65 plays between those three preseason games.
With Williams making his debut, questions about the offensive line, the opportunity for Velus Jones Jr. at running back and players from the reserve list looking to make an impact, there’s a lot to watch on Saturday.
We will be covering all the action as it develops. Follow it here:
Caleb Williams’ opening series
The Bears received the opening kickoff and started at the 30-yard line. Quarterback Caleb Williams completed 2 of 2 passes for 54 yards, including a play where he felt pressure in the pocket and threw the ball to running back D’Andre Swift for a 42-yard gain. Williams also had a 12-yard pass to receiver DJ Moore on third-and-12 to keep the chains moving early in the drive. Unfortunately, the drive stalled in the red zone, where there were three consecutive runs to Khalil Herbert, where he was stopped on third down. Cairo Santos kicked a 30-yard field goal for the early lead.
Bears 3, Bills 0
Bears defense concedes three-and-out
Chicago’s defense forced a three-and-out on Buffalo’s offense, which gained just six yards on its first possession. That included a big stop by defensive ends DeMarcus Walker and Dominique Robinson on third-and-2 that resulted in a loss of two yards. The Bills were forced to punt.
Bears 3, Bills 0
Caleb Williams impresses in the second season
For the second straight drive, the Bears offense managed to get the ball deep into Buffalo territory. Williams caught 2 of 5 passes on that drive, but that included a couple of drops from tight end Cole Kmet and receiver DJ Moore. Williams once again showed why he was the No. 1 pick in the draft when he extended the play and threw a dart to Kmet for a 26-yard gain. But Chicago again came up short in the red zone, which included a 1-yard gain from Khalil Herbert and a couple of incomplete passes from Williams. The Bears again settled for a Cairo Santos field goal, this time from 31 yards.
Bears 6, Bills 0
Thanks to Mitchell Trubisky, the bills are finally on the board
Former Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky took over for starter Josh Allen in the second quarter and led Buffalo to its first points of the game. Trubisky completed 5 of 8 passes for 44 yards. Chicago’s defense, which had lost several starters, had trouble getting off the field on third or fourth down, allowing the Bills to pose a threat in the red zone. But the defense fought back big time, stopping on the third and final attempt at the 5-yard line.
Bears 6, Bills 3
Halftime: Bears 6, Bills 3
The first half of Saturday’s warm-up game was all about field goals.
Velus Jones scores the first touchdown of the game
On Chicago’s first offensive series of the second half, quarterback Tyson Bagent led the Bears on an eight-play, 59-yard run for the team’s first touchdown of the game. During the run, Bagent completed two of two passes for 35 yards, while running back Velus Jones Jr. had four carries for 16 yards and a touchdown.
Bears 13, Bills 3
Bills score another field goal
The Bills scored for the second time in the game on a nine-play, 36-yard drive. Defensive end Daniel Hardy sacked quarterback Shane Buechele for a six-yard loss on third-and-15, forcing Buffalo to settle for another field goal.
Bears 13, Bills 6
Micah Baskerville scores with a pick-6
Linebacker Micah Baskerville made a strong statement early in the fourth quarter when he returned an interception by Bills quarterback Shane Buechele at Chicago’s 47-yard line and carried the ball back for a 53-yard touchdown. Unfortunately, Cairo Santos missed the extra point.
Bears 19, Bills 6
Ian Wheeler brings the Bears back on the road to success
Quarterback Austin Reed led a three-play, 37-yard touchdown drive that included a 34-yard pass to receiver Dante Pettis that gave the Bears first-and-goal at Buffalo’s 7-yard line. One play later, Wheeler ran in the pass for a 7-yard touchdown.
Bears 26, Bills 6
Ian Wheeler scores his second touchdown
After stopping the Bills on fourth down, the Bears got the ball at Buffalo’s 35-yard line, where undrafted rookie running back Ian Wheeler covered the entire 35 yards in three runs, including an eight-yard touchdown run to extend Chicago’s lead.
Bears 33, Bills 6
FINAL SCORE: BEARS 33, BILLS 6
When is the Bears vs. Bills game?
- Date: Saturday, August 10
- Time: 12pm CT
- Where: Highmark Stadium (Orchard Park, NY)
What channel will broadcast the Bears vs. Bills game?
- TV channels: NFL Network, FOX32
- Live streaming: Fubo TV (Watch for FREE)
- Radio: ESPN1000
Watch Bears vs. Bills FREE on Fubo
Who is commentating on the Bears vs. Bills game?
- Move by move: Adam Amin
- analyst: Jim Miller
- Sideline reporter: Lou Canellis
Preview: Bears vs. Bills
There are plenty of storylines to keep an eye on, including Williams’ rookie debut, the status of the offensive line, Velus Jones Jr. getting a look at running backs, and players off the reserve list who could make an impact. We also examined some players to keep an eye on Saturday, including some prominent rookies and starters.
Bears vs. Bills betting odds
BetMGM lines and odds as of Sunday:
- Spread: Bears (+2.5)
- Over/Under: 38.5
- Money line: Bears (+125), Bills (-150)
Injury report Bears vs. Bills
The Bears are missing several regular players who have been battling injuries in training camp. After Thursday’s practice, Chicago will be without most of its regular players, as cornerbacks Kyler Gordon and Tyrique Stevenson and safety Jaquan Brisker are not present. Also absent from Thursday’s practice: defensive end Montez Sweat, right guard Nate Davis, running back Roschon Johnson, wide receiver Collin Johnson, linebacker Noah Sewell and defensive tackle Byron Cowart. Right guard Ryan Bates left Thursday’s practice, his status is unknown.
Watch Bears vs. Bills FREE on Fubo
Bears 2024 preseason schedule
- Pro Football Hall of Fame Game: Chicago Bears vs. Houston Texans (August 1, 7:00 p.m. CT)
- Week 1: Chicago Bears at Buffalo Bills (August 10, 12pm CT)
- Week 2: Chicago Bears vs. Cincinnati Bengals (August 17, 12pm CT)
- Week 3: Chicago Bears at Kansas City Chiefs (August 22, 7:20 p.m. CT)
We occasionally recommend products and services of interest. If you make a purchase through one of the links, we may receive an affiliate fee. However, Bears Wire operates independently and this does not influence our reporting.
