After the Cardinals started the season 4-0, many wondered if they were a legitimate threat in the NFC West, but their offense continued to struggle and the team has gone 1-9 in their last 10 games.

Offensively, the Cardinals are a mess.  Various quarterbacks have found their way in and out of the lineup, their offensive line has been beat up, and their running game has struggled to find a rhythm.

The defense has been one of the few bright spots of this team and heading into their week 16 matchup against the Bears, they ranked 11th in total defense and fourth against the pass.

Their pass defense starts with arguably one of the best shutdown corners in the NFL, Patrick Peterson. He is one of the bigger cornerbacks in the league, standing 6’1″ and weighing nearly 220 pounds, and he will pose a difficult matchup for Brandon Marshall.

Peterson’s great speed and athleticism give him the ability to take risks without forcing himself completely out of position.  He has seven interceptions on the season and his ability as a return man poses a threat for him to take one to the house if he is able to pick off Jay Cutler.

Lining up opposite of Peterson is veteran William Gay. He has struggled at times against bigger receivers and the Bears will likely match him up with rookie receiver, Alshon Jeffery.

Safeties Kerry Rhodes and Adrian Wilson on paper should be one of the most consistent veteran safety tandems in the game, with both having the ability to stop the run and to play well in the open field.

Wilson has struggled at times this year and has seen his role decline in recent weeks, often being replaced by Rashad Johnson and James Sanders and has only played in 59 percent of the team’s defensive snaps in the last five games (h/t SB Nation).

One of the best defensive players you haven’t heard of currently patrols the middle of the defense, linebacker Daryl Washington. He has 115 tackles, one interception, two forced fumbles and nine sacks.  He is great in stopping the run and is a terrific on the blitz up the middle.  Center Roberto Garza will have to keep Washington in his sight at all times if they want to keep Jay Cutler upright.

Veteran Paris Lenon claims the other inside linebacker position next to Washington with Quentin Groves and Sam Acho on the outside. Both Groves and Acho are better as pass rushers than run stoppers, so expect the Bears to try and test them early and often in the running game.

Along the defensive line, Calais Campbell may be one of the most underrated 3-4 defensive ends in the game.  He has tremendous size and length combined with a good pass rush and an ability to set the edge in the running game. He has only four-and-a-half sacks on the season but his ability to get pressure on the quarterback is often enough to force bad throws.

Opposite of Campbell is veteran Darnell Dockett.  Not quite as intimidating as he once was, he is still very effective against the run and can still get some pressure on the quarterback.  Left tackle J’Marcus Webb has been more effective against the stronger defensive ends in comparison to speed rushers, so it will be interesting to see whether he can hold his own against the experienced Dockett.

Lined up inside at the nose tackle position is Dan Williams.  Williams has missed time this season and was not active last week when they played the Detroit Lions (h/t SB Nation).  If he is not able to go on Sunday, David Carter will take over as the starter.

Matt Eurich is a contributor to Bearsbacker.com. Follow Bears Backer on Facebook and Twitter for up to the minute news about the Bears. Also, check out Matt’s work on BleacherReport.com and follow him on Twitter @MattEurich.

Few teams this season have been worse than the Chicago Bears on offense, but the Arizona Cardinals are one of them.

The Bears are currently the 29th-ranked offense in the league, just a few spots ahead of the last-place Cardinals. The Cardinals average just 264 yards of total offense and only average 16 points per game; the Bears average 23.

A team that was once one of the most explosive in the NFL has been pedestrian at best since the retirement of Kurt Warner.

Larry Fitzgerald remains the face of the franchise, but has struggled with his production this year due to injuries and the lack of talent at the quarterback position.  Through the team’s 14 games this season, he has just 61 catches for 671 yards and four touchdowns.

In the Cardinals’ last five games, Fitzgerald has just ten catches for 89 yards and no touchdowns.  Because of the lack of weapons all around on this team, he is consistently double teamed while the opposition forces the quarterback to throw away from him. Expect the Bears to play no differently, with Charles Tillman likely getting the majority of the reps against him and safety Chris Conte likely dropping in on double coverage.

Rookie Michael Floyd was expected to take some of the pressure off of Fitzgerald after being selected 13th overall in last year’s draft. He has struggled at times with lapses of concentration and was dropped to fourth on the depth chart behind Andre Roberts and Early Doucet before getting his first start a couple of weeks ago against the Jets. He has 31 catches on the season for 349 yards and a touchdown, and has not progressed quite the way many expected him to.

Andre Roberts has had a solid season, hauling 56 catches for 697 yards and five touchdowns.  He has struggled with an ankle injury of late, but will likely be matched up with Kelvin Hayden unless Tim Jennings is ready to return from an injury.

Much of the Cardinals’ scoring woes can be traced back to their terrible quarterback play. Kevin Kolb was expected to be the heir to Warner after being traded to the Cardinals’ prior to the 2011 season.  Injuries have marred him since he’s arrived in Arizona and he was placed on injured reserve last Wednesday (h/t USA Today).

John Skelton has struggled when given the opportunity to play this season. He has just two touchdowns compared to nine interceptions, including four against the Seattle Seahawks two weeks ago in his return to the lineup after being benched following their November 18th matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.

Ryan Lindley replaced Skelton during the Falcons game and returned to the lineup following the poor play against the Seahawks.  Lindley has struggled all around, having not thrown a touchdown yet this season and throwing nine interceptions.  The Bears, fresh off a loss from the Packers, should be salivating at the chance to go up against him.  If the Bears can get pressure from Julius Peppers or Corey Wootton, Lindley has the tendency to get antsy in the pocket and force throws.

The Cardinals average a league-worst 80 rushing yards a game, and despite some improvement last week against the Detroit Lions, they can easily be stopped. Beanie Wells has struggled with injuries all season and has just 231 yards of rushing on 84 carries with five touchdowns. He can still be an effective back, but injuries and a porous offensive line has rendered him ineffective. He’s still a threat at the goal line, and linebackers Nick Roach and Lance Briggs will have to do a good job of getting after his legs to slow him down.

The offensive line has had its fair share of struggles in both the passing and running game.  To go along with their league-worst rushing average, the offensive line has given up the most sacks this season, with 52.  Rookies Nate Potter and Bobbie Massie are starters at left and right tackle and undrafted rookie Scott Wedige is in for the injured Lyle Sendlein at center.  Veterans Daryn Colledge and Adam Snyder man the guard positions, but even their experience can’t help tie this battered line together.

The Bears would be wise to bring the blitz against this beaten up offensive line, but should also be able to get very good pressure with their front four, even if Henry Melton is not able to go.

Matt Eurich is a contributor to Bearsbacker.com. Follow Bears Backer on Facebook and Twitter for up to the minute news about the Bears. Also, check out Matt’s work on BleacherReport.com and follow him on Twitter @MattEurich.

The Packers defense has been a thorn in Cutler’s side since his arrival in Chicago prior to the 2009 season.  His first start against them in Green Bay resulted in another four-interception game, and he is just 1-6 against them in his career.

The Packers defense currently ranks 17th in the league in total yards, giving up 351 yards per game. The have been decimated by injuries all season but have come up big in recent weeks.

In their first meeting this season, outside linebacker Clay Matthews was able to sack Cutler three-and-a-half times, and despite missing their last four games he is expected to return this Sunday (h/t Milwaukee Journal Sentinel).

It will be interesting to see how Matthews plays after missing four games, but he has always played well against the Bears.  He combines size and speed to be one of the most effective 3-4 pass rushers in the league. His run defense has improved in recent years but he is still susceptible when asked to drop into pass coverage. The Bears will need to give left tackle J’Marcus Webb help on the outside with either a tight end or chipping running back, and could utilize screens to running back Matt Forte to take advantage of Matthews’ desire to rush the passer.

In the wake of Matthews’ absence, left outside linebacker Eric Walden has struggled to get to the quarterback without Matthews garnering all of the attention.  He still has good speed and the ability to rush the quarterback, and could still pose a problem for the ailing Jonathan Scott at right tackle.

Inside linebacker Brad Jones has been a pleasant surprise in both run-stopping and in pass coverage.  He is arguably the team’s best linebacker in pass coverage and will get plenty of opportunities to match up with Bears tight end Kellen Davis.  Davis has struggled this season but has still been able to get himself open, and will have to use his big body against Jones.

Veteran A.J. Hawk continues to have a nose for the football and leads the team with 104 tackles on the season.  He is solid in stopping the run but has struggled at times in pass coverage, often being removed in passing situations in favor of the Packers’ dime package.

The Packers’ defensive line has been affected by injuries this season and only dressed four linemen last week against the Detroit Lions. Nose tackle B.J. Raji has appeared to regress some this season, not showing the explosiveness and ability to get to the quarterback that he has in the past.  Ends Ryan Picket, C.J. Wilson, Mike Daniels, and Jerel Worthy have combined for just six-and-a-half sacks and have struggled at times against the run.  Sunday night against the Lions, they allowed 117 rushing yards in the first half before tightening up in the second half.

The Bears will need to effectively run the football with Matt Forte and Michael Bush (if healthy), who were productive in their last meeting, gaining 85 yards on 21 carries before an injury to Forte and the need to play catch-up forced them to abandon the run.  With the Packers’ ability to score at will, the offense will need to attack in the running game.

In their last meeting, the Packers secondary was able to shut down wide receiver Brandon Marshall, holding him to just two catches for 24 yards on just five targets. Cornerback Tramon Williams played Marshall mostly straight-up with single man coverage, something most teams have not been able to do with him this season, hauling in two of the team’s four interceptions.

Sam Shields returned last week after missing nearly two months and picked off Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford in the second quarter, and will provide more depth to a secondary that has struggled with injuries this season.  Shields will get the task of going up against rookie Alshon Jeffery, who, despite a couple of mistakes last week, has the potential to come up big if Marshall is locked down.

Safety Charles Woodson has missed the last six games due to a broken collarbone and is not expected to play this Sunday in Chicago (h/t NFL.com). Woodson is arguably the most important player on the Packers defense and his absence has been felt. His replacement at free safety, M.D. Jennings, has improved from the beginning of the season, but still struggles on plays down the field.

Strong safety Morgan Burnett has been a tackling machine, registering 103 this season, one off of the team lead.  He is great at coming up in the box to stop the run and in recent weeks has shown the ability to be a playmaker, picking off Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder twice in their Week 13 matchup.

Rookie Casey Hayward has been one of the more pleasant surprises for the Packers on defense, as he has 45 tackles and five interceptions on the year.  They have used him outside as the number two cornerback and inside at the nickel, and he has shown great athleticism and awareness when given his opportunities on the field.

Matt Eurich is a contributor to Bearsbacker.com. Follow Bears Backer on Facebook and Twitter for up to the minute news about the Bears. Also, check out Matt’s work on BleacherReport.com and follow him on Twitter @MattEurich.

A disappointing 21-14 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday tempered the Bears’ expectations of winning the division en route to the playoffs. Chicago will likely be in a battle for one of the two wild-card spots.

The Bears and Packers last met up back in Week 2 in Green Bay, with the Packers coming away with a 23-10 victory.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers continues to prove week in and week out that he is one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Through the Packers’ first 13 games, he has thrown for just under 3,297 yards, 29 touchdowns and just eight interceptions.

Rodgers has the ability to fit the ball in a tight window, to throw it downfield and to pick up yards with his feet when needed. The Bears defense has given him fits in the past, but he still has put up great numbers against them.  In 10 career games against Chicago (including the playoffs), he has thrown for 2,439 yards, 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions.  The sliver lining in that time is that the Bears have been effective at getting him to turn the football over in comparison to other teams.

The loss of Brian Urlacher in the middle will help open up the middle of the field more, and his replacement, Nick Roach, will be asked to drop off in coverage and to also keep contain on Rodgers if he gets outside of the pocket.

The Packers wide receiving corps has been decimated by injuries all season. Greg Jennings returned two weeks ago from a groin injury and has just 17 catches for 151 yards on the season. Veteran Donald Driver missed time with a broken thumb but has been a shell of himself this season, with just eight catches for 77 yards and two touchdowns.

Jordy Nelson has missed time this season with a hamstring injury but still is viewed as the anchor of the wide receiving corps and has hauled in 46 catches for 658 yards and six touchdowns. The big surprise this season has been the solid play of veteran James Jones.  Jones, once knocked for his big drops and penchant for mistakes, has taken his game to a new level with 46 catches for 556 yards and a team-leading nine touchdowns.The most consistent receiver on the roster this season, however, has been second-year player Randall Cobb.  He has the team lead in catches (71) and receiving yards (777) and has also hauled in seven touchdowns. He has been a matchup nightmare with his ability to stretch the field vertically and make defenders miss in open space, and he’s also been effective when lining up in the backfield or running the ball on an end-around.

With the bevy of talent at the wide receiver position, the Bears secondary will have its hands full.  They are hoping that Tim Jennings can return this Sunday following a shoulder injury suffered against the Seahawks two weeks ago, and he would likely draw the task of defending Cobb.  Charles Tillman will likely face off against the bigger Jones, and nickelback Kelvin Hayden will likely have a chance at facing off against a number of the Packers receivers.

Never known for much of a running game, the Packers have done a better job at trying to establish the run this season, particularly in their last few games. Cedric Benson was supposed to give them a threat in the running game, but he suffered a foot injury and will not be able to return this season.

James Starks suffered a knee injury two weeks ago and could miss the remainder of the season (h/t CBS Sports).  In the absence of Benson and Starks, Alex Green has stepped up, particularly in their last two games, gaining 127 yards rushing on 25 carries. They expect to use more of DuJuan Harris, who scored a touchdown against the Lions on Sunday night as well as newly signed former Packer, Ryan Grant.

The Packers will never be a run-first team, but they have begun to realize the importance the running game has, particularly here in the later part of the season. A strong running game will force the Bears to bring up safety Major Wright into the box, which would in turn open up plays down the field. The Bears front seven will need to be able to stop the run, and that all starts with what their defensive line can do up front against the banged-up Packers offensive line.

Sunday against Detroit, the Packers were forced to start undrafted rookie Don Barclay.  Barclay played a solid game against a stout Lions defensive front and was at the forefront of a lot of the Packers’ big gains while running the ball.

The usual right tackle, T.J. Lang, was dressed for Sunday’s contest after missing time with an ankle injury, but the Packers likely wanted to give Barclay reps in case Lang is not able to play out the rest of the season. If Barclay again gets the start, expect the Bears to try to load his side with blitzes from either safety Chris Conte or even linebacker Lance Briggs.

The Packers have struggled this season at keeping Aaron Rodgers upright, giving up 42 sacks on the season, second-worst in the NFL. Veteran Jeff Saturday has been a nice addition to the interior of the line, and guards Evan Dietrich-Smith and Josh Sitton are average-at-best NFL guards.

Left tackle Marshall Newhouse has struggled against the pass rush, allowing eight and a half sacks this season. Julius Peppers will get the first crack at Newhouse, and expect a steady flow of Corey Wootton and Shea McClellin.

Matt Eurich is a contributor to Bearsbacker.com. Follow Bears Backer on Facebook and Twitter for up to the minute news about the Bears. Also, check out Matt’s work on BleacherReport.com and follow him on Twitter @MattEurich.

Following two straight losses in primetime action, the Chicago Bears defeated the Minnesota Vikings 28-10 in Week 12 and will try to use what they learned in order to do the same this upcoming Sunday at the Metrodome.

Heading into the Vikings game two weeks ago, all of the talk was surrounding the return of quarterback Jay Cutler from a concussion and how the Bears offensive line could protect him.

Despite the losses of starting guards Lance Louis and Chris Spencer, the offensive line did a good job of keeping Cutler upright, as they gave up just one sack. Left tackle J’Marcus Webb did not allow a sack against Jared Allen, who was able to get to the quarterback 3.5 times the last time they had met.

The running game struggled at times, but the Bears still finished with over 100 yards rushing combined between Matt Forte and Michael Bush.  Forte left in the third quarter due to an ankle injury, and his replacement, Bush, finished with 60 yards and two touchdowns.

Despite gaining just 2.9 yards per rush, the offense was persistent in its desire to run the football, and it helped keep the Vikings honest in the passing game.

Cutler had solid numbers in his return, going 23-31 for 188 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.  The focal point of the offensive attack was Brandon Marshall, who hauled in 12 catches on 17 targets for 92 yards, often coming up with big catches in traffic.

Regardless of who is covering him, Cutler knows his most reliable target is Marshall.  The Vikings game showed that regardless of their desire to slow him down—whether it be with man-to-man coverage, zone coverage or with safety help over the top—he is going to make plays as long as Cutler has the time to get him the ball.

Expect the Bears to once again try and run the football against the Vikings, particularly to slow down the speedy pass rush of Allen on the Metrodome turf.  Running the football will also help quiet down the always raucous Vikings fans.

The running game will help open up the passing game, particularly with play action, something the Bears were able to exploit at times two weeks ago.  Cutler also did well when rolling out of the pocket and was able to make many pinpoint throws, including his 13-yard strike to Matt Spaeth that resulted in a touchdown.

The statuses of wide receivers Earl Bennett (concussion), Alshon Jeffery (knee), and Devin Hester (concussion) are still up in the air for Sunday, but Jeffery appears to be the closest to returning (h/t CBS Sports).

Jeffery offers a downfield threat opposite of Marshall, and it appeared that he was starting to build a rapport with Cutler before the hand injury that first sidelined him after the Jacksonville game. The Vikings main focus will be to slow down Marshall, and if Jeffery is available, it is possible he could become a major factor in the offense this Sunday.

Matt Eurich is a contributor to Bearsbacker.com. Follow Bears Backer on Facebook and Twitter for up to the minute news about the Bears. Also, check out Matt’s work on BleacherReport.com and follow him on Twitter @MattEurich.

Much like the Bears, the Seattle Seahawks rely on a stout defense that can get to the quarterback and can create turnovers.

Their defense ranks No. 5 in the league in yards allowed with 309.4 per game, two spots behind the Bears. They are also ranked ninth in the league in sacks, with 29, one behind the Bears who are tied for fifth.

Viewed by many as the best secondary in the league, the Seahawks give up just 200 yards passing per game, third best in the league.

Highlighting the secondary are cornerbacks Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner. After both initially being suspended four games for violating the NFL‘s substance abuse policy, both are expected to play this Sunday while awaiting an appeal (h/t The Herald).

Browner is one of the biggest cornerbacks in the game, standing at 6’4″ and weighing in around 220 pounds.  A former CFL player, he has made an impact since his arrival in Seattle prior to the 2011 season. This season, he has three interceptions, six pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

Across from him stands the nearly equally as tall Sherman (6’1″, 195 pounds) who has four interceptions, 15 pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

Both cornerbacks are physical, tough with their hands and have excelled in press coverage this season.  The Seahawks typically play single coverage and will give Brandon Marshall one of his toughest challenges this season.  Despite Marshall’s ability to have his way with single coverage this season, both Browner and Sherman have done a good job of slowing down a couple of the league’s best wide receivers in Larry Fitzgerald and Calvin Johnson.

Rounding out the Seahawks’ strong secondary are free safety Earl Thomas and strong safety Kam Chancellor. Thomas can cover a ton of area and has excelled as a single-high safety.  He is great at defending the deep ball and has been very solid when coming up in the run game. With the Seahawks’ desire to play single man on receivers, he has the ability to roam the middle half of the field and rarely gives up a deep ball.

After coming out of college, many believed that Chancellor would make the move to linebacker because of his size (6’3″, 232 pounds), but he has excelled as a run stopping strong safety, making his first Pro Bowl last season. He has regressed a bit this season and has been more vulnerable in pass defense, meaning the Bears should be able to find a good matchup against him with tight end Kellen Davis, or either Matt Forte or Michael Bush.

The linebackers for the Seahawks have been average-at-best this season, but they have been getting a solid contribution out of rookie middle linebacker Bobby Wagner. He leads the team in tackles and tackles for loss and has done an admirable job in the middle of that defense.  Outside linebackers K.J. Wright and Leroy Hill are both solid tacklers and good against the run, but both can be had in the passing game.  The Bears would be wise to try and matchup one of their running backs against their slower outside linebackers.

The front four of the Seahawks could arguably be one of the best in the league, with depth off the edge and solid veteran play on the inside.

The Seahawks shocked many when they selected Bruce Irvin in the first round in this past draft.  Irvin is not a starter, but sees a relatively large amount of snaps as a situational speed rusher. He has seven sacks this season, but is limited in his moves, relying solely on his speed rush.  He also can struggle against physical left tackles.  Irvin can play similarly to Aldon Smith, and J’Marcus Webb hopefully has learned his lesson on how to slow down an effective speed rusher after allowing three sacks to Smith two weeks ago.

Chris Clemons is arguably the most complete player on the defensive line, combing speed, strength, and athleticism. He has eight sacks on the season, is great at getting pressure on the quarterback and is tough against the run. Opposite of Clemons is the rotation of Red Bryant and Jason Jones.  Both have the ability to line up inside at defensive tackle and the ability to slow down the running game.

Jones excels more as a pass rusher and Bryant as a run stopper, so they provide a solid rotation on the left side.  New right tackle Jonathan Scott played well last Sunday in his first start as a Bear and will find himself facing off against yet another strong defensive front.

Other than its tremendous secondary, the strength of the defense could be its two defensive tackles, Alan Branch and Brandon Mebane.  Branch is becoming one of the league’s best nose tackles with his ability to shed blockers and his physical play.  He can shore up running lanes and collapse the pocket better than most nose tackles in the league and will pose a difficult challenge for center Roberto Garza and new right guard Gabe Carimi.

Mebane plays more of the athletic under tackle position, combing size and speed to stop the running game and get after the quarterback.  He has three sacks on the year, and his burst off of the ball makes it difficult for blockers to get leverage against him.  New left guard Edwin Williams had some experience going up against him last season and will need to play a good game to keep Jay Cutler upright.

Matt Eurich is a contributor to Bearsbacker.com. Follow Bears Backer on Facebook and Twitter for up to the minute news about the Bears. Also, check out Matt’s work on BleacherReport.com and follow him on Twitter @MattEurich.

The Bears defense bounced back from their breakdown against the 49ers in Week 11—when they gave up 353 yards—and held the Vikings to 258 yards in Week 12.

The Bears defense will try to keep that momentum going when the 6-5 Seattle Seahawks come into Soldier Field on Sunday and try to keep their playoff chances alive.

The Seahawks offense starts and ends with All-Pro running back Marshawn Lynch. He barreled his way to more than 1,200 yards rushing last season in his first full season in Seattle and has already eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark this season in 10 games.

Following four straight 100-yard games leading up to Sunday, Lynch was held to just 46 yards on 19 carries by the Miami Dolphins. Besides this past Sunday and in Week 6 against the Patriots, he has rushed for at least 85 yards in each contest.

Lynch is one of the best in-between-the-tackles runners in the NFL and one of the most difficult to tackle.  He’s uses his large frame to fight through traffic and utilizes his powerful lower body to keep pushing through tackles.  In order to bring him down, the Bears will have to do a good job of wrapping up and slowing him down, particularly up front with guys like Stephen Paea and Henry Melton.

After spending money on free-agent quarterback Matt Flynn in the offseason, the Seahawks decided to go with their third-round draft pick, Russell Wilson, as their starter.  On paper, his numbers look solid: more than 1,800 yards passing, 15 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Before his 21-of-27, 224-yard, two-touchdown performance in Miami on Sunday, Wilson had struggled mightily on the road.

At home this season, Wilson has an average quarterback rating of 122.0 with no interceptions, but on the road, he has just a 65.8 quarterback rating as well as throwing all eight of his interceptions.He has good feet and can get out of the pocket when needed, and he throws a good deep ball.  The Bears would be wise to bring some pressure—getting him out of his comfort zone and making him force the ball downfield.  Linebacker Brian Urlacher will likely have contain on Wilson in certain situations and will have to keep him from getting out of the pocket.

Wilson’s main targets this season have been wide receivers Golden Tate and Sidney Rice.

Tate has been great when getting the ball in space this season, finally starting to live up to the potential that made him a second-round pick. He has just 26 catches on the season, but he has been able to get to the end zone six times, and he can make it difficult on a defense.   Expect the smaller, quicker Tim Jennings to match up with Tate throughout the game.

Lined up opposite of Tate is six-year veteran Sidney Rice. A former second-round pick of the Vikings, he burst onto the scene in 2009 and, with the help of Brett Favre, registered his first 1,000-yard season. He parlayed his success into a big contract with the Seahawks last season, but he has struggled to stay healthy and has played in just nine games.

He possesses the big-play potential as a deep threat and has hauled in 34 catches for 475 yards and six touchdowns.  As long as he is healthy, Charles Tillman will likely be matched up against the bigger and more physical Rice.

Tight end Zach Miller has been a nice checkdown receiver for Wilson, hauling in 23 catches for 285 yards and a touchdown this season.  Despite his lone touchdown on the season, Miller can still be viewed as a red-zone threat, and Nick Roach will likely draw the assignment of covering him.

The Seahawks offensive line has had its ups and downs this season but have done a good job of opening up holes for Lynch and are 10th best in the league in allowing just 21 sacks of Wilson.After his first two seasons were shortened because of injuries, the former sixth overall pick in the 2010 draft, Russell Okung, is finally starting to live up to expectations. Despite struggling with penalties this season, he has done a great job at keeping his quarterback upright.  He will be seeing a lot of Julius Peppers come Sunday, and despite some past success against him, Okung will have a tough task of trying to slow him down.

Opposite of Okung on the right side is Breno Giacomini. A former fifth-round pick of the Packers in 2010, Giacomini took over the right tackle position this season, and although he has the athleticism and tools to be an effective tackle, he has struggled the most with mental mistakes. Like Okung, he has struggled with penalties all season and has a penchant for extracurricular activities.  His strength lies in run blocking. He can be beaten in pass protection.  Expect Peppers to get some snaps against him but the majority being split among Israel Idonije, Corey Wootton, and Shea McClellin.

Max Unger has helped solidify the interior of the offensive line and could find himself in the running for a spot on the Pro Bowl roster.  He is a great run blocker, effective in pass blocking and has done a good job of raising the level of play around him.

Guard James Carpenter returned from a concussion on Sunday that caused him to miss their previous two games. He has struggled with injuries in the past, but he’s strong and often wins the battle of leverage against his man.  He will likely be matched up a lot against Stephen Paea, and it should be a good battle of strength versus strength.

The guard opposite of Carpenter, Paul McQuistan, has been versatile this season, seeing time at both left and right guard.  He does not jump off the page with his abilities, but he is a solid NFL guard and will be a good matchup against Henry Melton.

Matt Eurich is a contributor to Bearsbacker.com. Follow Bears Backer on Facebook and Twitter for up to the minute news about the Bears. Also, check out Matt’s work on BleacherReport.com and follow him on Twitter @MattEurich.