Bears look for win before bye week

The Chicago Bears are hoping to end their first half of the season on the right note. This week’s game against the Washington Redskins will be their final game before their bye week.

The question remains if the offensive line will keep Jay Cutler from being sacked continuously. It looks as if the o-line will start the same people for the second consecutive week—something that hasn’t been done since Week 2.

In addition to the uncertainty of the offensive line, the balance of Chicago’s offensive attack is also in question. In last week’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks, only 24% of the offensive plays ran by the Bears were run plays (12 out of 51). Knowing that Redskins safety LaRon Landry and linebacker London Fletcher are on the field, Mike Martz just might stay with the passing game. Landry and Fletcher are first and third in the NFL in tackles respectively. Also, Washington’s defense is giving up a league worst 420.0 yards per game.

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As for the Bears’ defense, they are ranked eighth in the league with a 304.8 yards per game average. Washington will test the Bears’ secondary with their veteran quarterback, and Chicago native Donovan McNabb. McNabb’s 1,561 passing yards is sixth in the NFL.

The status of Lance Briggs is still in the air. An ankle injury in Week 5 prevented the five-time Pro Bowler from playing last week, and limited his participation in this week’s practice.

This just might be the time when the Chicago Bears’ offense will awaken and put up the numbers that everyone has expected on them since the beginning of the season. But it all goes back to the question of how the offensive line will perform.

By Clyde Speller
ProFootball-fans.com Chicago Bears Correspondent