Bears look to rebound in Carolina

The Chicago Bears hope to get back into the habit of winning when they go on the road and face the Carolina Panthers in Week 5. In a normal situation, the Bears (3-1) would be a runaway favorite in this contest against the Panthers (0-4), but last week’s beating from the New York Giants made this week’s match-up more interesting.

Bears starting quarterback Jay Cutler is ruled out for this game due to a concussion that he suffered in last Sunday night’s loss to the Giants. Chicago is now forced to turn to 38-year old Todd Collins to take control of the offense. Collins will be making his first start in the NFL since 2007, when he played for the Washington Redskins. Not having the strong arm as Cutler does, the Bears might have to rely on more of a conservative approach offensively, and run the ball more than they have in the first four weeks of the season. The upside of having Collins in is that he has played in a similar offense when he played with the Kansas City Chiefs—a team that was coached by Dick Vermeil who once had Mike Martz on his coaching staff in St. Louis.

If there is one phase of the Bears that will be considered their strongest, it will be the defense. Although they did give up 191 yards on the ground against the Giants last week, they are still one of the best run defenses in the league. Just like Chicago, Carolina will have to heavily rely on their running due to the fact that their star receiver, Steve Smith, is ruled out because of an ankle injury. Not to mention, going after rookie quarterback Jimmy Clausen, can only help the Bears defense even more.

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As important as this game is for the Bears, it may be twice as important for defensive end Julius Peppers. This will be a homecoming of sorts for the nine-year veteran. Peppers is a native of Bailey, North Carolina, and played his collegiate ball at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. The five-time Pro Bowler just might be in line for an unforgettable game this Sunday.

The big question is can the Bears generate enough offense to help out their defense. A lot of the pressure will be on a running game that has yet to produce a 100-yard rusher this season. The offensive line and running backs Matt Forte and Chester Taylor will have the opportunity to prove that Chicago does have a ground attack that will be much needed in those late-season cold games right off of the lakefront in Chicago.

By Clyde Speller
ProFootball-fans.com Chicago Bears Correspondent