INDIANAPOLIS — The joint practices with the Colts on Wednesday and Thursday meant everything to Bears coach Matt Eberflus. “It’s like playing two preseason games,” he said. “If they let me do it again, I’d do it again next week.”
But to running back Roschon Johnson, the game is when the 6-2, 222-pound rookie from Texas can really show what he can do. Johnson thrives on physicality, and OTAs, mini-camp and even training camp practices don’t quite give him a chance to play to his strength.
“It gets difficult at times, but you have to deal with it,” Johnson said after Wednesday’s practice at the Colts’ training camp facility in Westfield, Ind. “When we strap those pads up on game day, that’s when I can let it all out.”
Johnson got that opportunity Saturday night in the Bears’ preseason game against the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium and showed glimpses of his potential to be a factor in the regular season.
Johnson entered the game on the Bears’ third possession and along with rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent gave the Bears’ a lift after two punts on the opening possessions with PJ Walker.
Johnson had seven carries for 32 yards (4.6 average) and also had an 11-yard pass reception as the Bears drove 92 yards on 17 carries for Bagent’s two-hard touchdown run that tied the game 7-7 with 1:26 left in the first half.
Johnson had rushes for 14 and 10 yards on back-to-back carries on the drive – the latter carry behind fullback Robert Burns. A block by center Doug Kramer and guard Alex Leatherwood sprung him for the 11-yard gain to the Colts’ 19-yard line on a screen pass from Bagent.
With virtually every starter not playing, the second preseason game was a showcase for rookies, including draft picks who figure to be contributors in the regular season — Johnson, defensive tackles Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens, cornerbacks Tyrique Stevenson and Terell Smith and linebacker Noah Sewell.
Stevenson, who already has a reputation for playing with an edge, showed off his aggressiveness but went over the line on one play in the second quarter. He drew a personal foul penalty for a late hit when he slammed Colts running back Kenyan Drake to the ground out of bounds after a short pass from quarterback Gardner Minshew.
Fortunately for Stevenson, Drake responded by shoving Stevenson after the play, drawing his own personal foul penalty — an offsetting infraction that negated the entire play.
Stevenson was pulled after that play, but returned after a discussion with Eberflus. Stevenson suffered more frustration later in the same drive, when he had a bead on Minshew’s pass into the end zone — only to see it go between his hands for a four-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Juwann Winfree that gave the Colts a 7-0 lead with 10:51 left in the second quarter.
The game was less eventful for the other rookies, who nonetheless gained experience in their second NFL game. Pickens was particularly effective on the Colts’ second drive of the game. He stopped running back Evan Hull for a one-yard gain. Pickens combined with linebacker Jack Sanborn for a tackle for loss on the next play, but a neutral-zone infraction on defensive end Rasheem Green nullified the play.
On a third-and-11 play later in that drive, Dexter had a pressure that forced Minshew to shovel a pass to running back Deon Jackson for a two-yard gain that forced the Colts to punt.
Linebacker Micah Baskerville, an undrafted rookie from LSU making a strong bid for a roster spot, had a tackle on the opening kickoff and also played on defense in the first half. He’s had three interceptions in training camp.