Scouting report: Know your Bears

The Cardinals, apparently, are not who we thought they were. Carrying a three game winning streak into a home date with the struggling Carolina Panthers, the Cardinals looked like a team that was ready to finally emerge as an elite team. But, following a 34-21 loss in Glendale the Cardinals are 4-3, looking for answers, and traveling to Chicago to take on a Bears team that, like the Cardinals, is inconsistent.

Bears on offense

Long known as a smashmouth style of team that would run, run and run some more, the Bears have changed this year with the arrival of Jay Cutler. The Bears added the 26-year-old signal caller with the hopes that he would provide some stability at a position where the Bears have been lacking, and through seven games Cutler has been inconsistent, but has still given the Bears a threat at the most important position in the game.

The Bears make use of Cutler's big arm with speed at the receiver position, featuring Devin Hester , Earl Bennett and Johnny Knox.

Hester, you may remember, is a dynamic player with the ball in his hands, and is a threat to take it to the house every time he touches the ball. His 35 catches lead the team, and he has three touchdowns so far this season.

Opposite Hester will be Bennett (25 catches, 334 yards) and rookie speedster Johnny Knox. Knox is averaging nearly 13 yards-per-catch, and he has scored three times - including a 68 yard TD catch.

Another one of Cutler's favorite weapons is not so much a speedster, but tight end Greg Olsen has emerged as a solid contributor who can stretch the defense down the seam. The former Miami Hurricane has 24 receptions on the year for 215 yards, and has found the end zone three times. At 6'5, 255 lbs., Olsen is a matchup nightmare who the Cardinals will have to focus on.

Of course, if the Cardinals can slow Cutler and the passing game they still have to worry about running back Matt Forte. Forte burst onto the scene as a rookie last year, rushing for 1,238 yards and catching for another 477, but this year he has primarily been used to run the ball. The top pick in many fantasy football drafts, Forte had a breakout game last week against Cleveland, running for 90 yards and two touchdowns. On the year the second-year player out of Tulane has rushed for 408 yards and three touchdowns, and will be a challenge for a Cardinals defense that had done a solid job against the run up until last week vs. Carolina.

Bears on defense

On defense the Bears are not what they were the last time these teams played in 2006. Time has brought with it injuries and aging, however, the defense is still a solid unit.

Up front the Bears will still send Adewale Ogunleye and Alex Brown after the quarterback. Ogunleye has had an excellent career as a pass rusher, and Brown has established himself as a capable player himself. But, for the Bears, their strenth is still in the linebackers.

In the same mold as some of the great Bears linebackers, Lance Briggs leads the team with 50 tackles to go along with one sack and one interception. Briggs has had to take over much of the load due to the injury sustained by Pro Bowler Brian Urlacher. Nich Roach has also had a solid year for the Bears, as he's third on the team with 38 tackles.

Of course, the group that is likely to be tested by the Cardinals the most Sunday is the secondary, and the Bears are solid in the defensive backfield.

The 5'11 Danieal Manning is second on the team in tackles as a safety, a sign that he likes to play in the box and help out with the run.

Charles Tillman is the team's most experienced corner and, at 6'1, will likely be matched up with Larry Fitzgerald in the hopes that he can hang with the Pro Bowler and not lose the matchup to to size. Nathan Vasher and Zack Bowman are two other names to remember.