Panthers at Bears
THE STORY: If the Chicago Bears could keep Jay Cutler off his back, maybe they would be better than a game under .500. The Bears have had all kinds of problems along the offensive line, leading to a league high in sacks and an anemic rushing game. The Carolina Panthers feature the dynamic duo of Cam Newton and Steve Smith through the air, but managed their first win last week with a strong defensive effort. The Bears will be looking to snap a two-game slide when they host the budding Panthers on Sunday.
TV: FOX, 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Bears -6.5, O/U 42
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (1-2): Carolina first-year head coach Ron Rivera played nine seasons for the Bears and served as defensive coordinator for the team from 2004-06, helping them to the Super Bowl before being let go. Three games into his first chance in the lead position, Rivera has gotten stellar play from rookie quarterback Newton, who ranks third in the NFL in passing yards and has been competitive in all three games. The Panthers earned a 16-10 win over Jacksonville last week thanks to a late touchdown connection from Newton to former Chicago tight end Greg Olsen.
ABOUT THE BEARS (1-2): Cutler has been sacked 14 times through the first three games and 66 times in the last 19 games for Chicago. The offensive line has had an effect on the rushing attack as well, with the Bears ranking 31st in the NFL with an average of 53.7 yards on the ground. Matt Forte finished with two yards on nine carries in last Sunday’s 27-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers and Chicago totaled 13 yards on 12 attempts. First-round tackle Gabe Carimi is out until mid-October with a knee injury, thinning out the line even more.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. Carolina moves into the teeth of the NFC South over the next two weeks, hosting New Orleans in Week 5 and visiting Atlanta in Week 6.
2. Forte rushed for a career-high 166 yards and two touchdowns in a 23-6 victory over the Panthers last season.
3. Smith has torched the Chicago secondary for 30 catches and 484 yards in three career meetings.