Bears QB Andy Dalton: 'It's time to go'

The Bears enter preparations for the Los Angeles Rams without a look this camp or preseason at their entire starting offense together for an exhibition game or even part of one. 

Considering three starters are entirely new to the offense and one is quarterback Andy Dalton, this might be a problem. 

Dalton says don't worry because practices show him it will work.

"I think just some of the stuff that we've done in practice and some of the stuff that we've been implementing and the way our guys have been practicing and playing, I think that's been big for us to know the potential of what we can be and to be excited about what we have," Dalton said.

It goes beyond the offensive starters. The third and fourth wide receivers and third tight end are new, and based on various offensive packages any could be in the game. 

Wide receivers Marquise Goodwin and Damiere Byrd haven't had much opportunity to play and even missed some days of practices with various injuries. Third tight end Jesse James has had time with the first-team offense.

"When we're all together and we're all playing like we know we can play, there's a lot that we can do," Dalton said. "And so I think I mentioned after a couple of these games, I've been on teams where the offense didn't look great early in the preseason, but then we've come out hot to start the year. 

"So I think for us it's just focusing on what we can control right now and playing like I know we can play."

The first-team Bears offense definitely didn't look hot and produced one touchdown in two preseason games with Dalton at quarterback. The Bears had 16 points in the first half of the three preseason games, which generally is when starters or top backups play. This doesn't bode well for them, except the starters who were on the field in earlier in preseason aren't necessarily starters now.

"It's going to be the guys that are going to be out there now," Dalton said. "Like I said, it's who we've been working towards from the beginning. And so now it's just again, more time to build that chemistry, making sure everybody is on the same page and yeah, it's time to go.'

Goodwin at least acknowledged there must be some concern until they prove otherwise.

"We got two wins out of three preseason games," wide receiver Marquise Goodwin said. "That shows a little promise, but it's kind of hard to tell because the 1's obviously aren't playing the whole game. A lot of people haven't played. 

"(We're) just moving in the right direction. Everybody for the most part is healthy going into the season, so, we'll just see how we do."

The first-team offensive line played with Justin Fields and backup receivers on Saturday and looked like it needed more work. Dalton had parts of the offensive line blocking for him earlier in two starts, but this was before Germain Ifedi returned to start at right tackle and Jason Peters was signed to play left tackle.

None of this is out of the ordinary to Dalton from his nine years starting for Cincinnati.

"It's been different every year," Dalton said. Sometimes you hold guys out, sometimes you may play with the first offensive line, sometimes you're playing with two guys that are going to be starters, sometimes you're playing with all three, four receivers that are going to be in there playing, and sometimes you're not playing with any."

They benefit from the extra time this year before the opener to get prepared with no fourth preseason game this week.

"I feel good about where we're at, but again, you can't talk about it," coach Matt Nagy said. "You have to go out and produce and we gotta be able to go out and do that. So I think that's only fair. And again, it's a long season, so we gotta make sure. We just want to hit it running."