Bears - Panthers Preview
Here it is, time to see if the Bears are for real.
Why not?
Carolina's a potentially good team with a strong running game. They don't have a Peyton Manning the way last week's losing opponent does, and I don't think there are many folks who would place them ahead of the Colts as a legitimate contender for the whole thing.
But that doesn't mean that they roll over and die. Here's how I see it:
Does Kyle Orton get that first TD from the air this week? Yes he does. 1 TD, 1 INT. 175-200 yards.
Does Matt Forte take off where he left off, and finish with another 100 yard game? Not quite, because the Panthers have some actual real-game film to see now. But I think he should be good for 80-90, and that the Bears will mix up the running game a bit this week with looks for a few guys. Look for Kevin Jones to be at 40+.
Can the Bears defense stop the Carolina running game? Not to the same extent as last week with Joseph Addai. Carolina is going to really push their runners, and if the D stays on the field too long, then you could see some rushing TDs in the second half from our foe. I'm out on a limb, though, and saying the Bears D doesn't tire. Carolina will score once on the ground and will have a combined 140 yards.
How does that Bears O-Line hold up? Very well, thank you. They'll allow two sacks, but for the most part will hold steady and let the team move downfield. Was happy to see the team bring back Fred Miller for some reinforcements. Looks like management knows the weak spots and are being very proactive in holding it together for that predicted-by-me late season surge.
Final Score: Bears 20 - Carolina 13. They're not shoot-em-ups - just good ground control football. This one defines the Bears as a team not to be taken lightly. Might have a couple of bumps in the next few weeks, but this one works out just fine.
