Bears Blitz

Published by Jake Perper on December 25, 2011
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears (7-7) and the Green Bay Packers (13-1) will play tonight at Lambeau Field.

This marks the second time that the Bears and Packers will meet on Christmas night.

The last time they met on Christmas night was in 2005 when Chicago defeated Green Bay, 24-17.

The two teams will battle it out for the 184th time. The Bears lead the all-time series 92-85-6.

The Packers have won three straight games dating back to last season. The Bears will be looking to stop that winning streak and keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

The Bears have to win the next two games and the Falcons have to lose the next two games for Chicago to earn the sixth seed in the NFC. The chances are so slim with the way the Bears have played lately.

Veteran QB Josh McCown will make his first start since 2007 tonight. Caleb Hanie is listed as his backup, and rookie Nathan Enderle will be the third quarterback active.

Running back Kahlil Bell will make his second career start with Marion Barber sitting out with a calf injury. Armando Allen, who the Bears signed off their practice squad, will back up Bell.

The wide receiver position will be limited as well with Johnny Knox out and Devin Hester (ankle) still banged up.

Roy Williams, Earl Bennett, Dane Sanzenbacher and Max Komar will be the four receivers the Bears will use the most tonight.

Komar played for Arizona last season and spent most of this season on the Bears’ practice squad.

The Bears are 11-of-50 on third-down conversions over the past four games. So maybe Josh McCown and Co. can spark this offense—or maybe not.

It will sure be interesting to see what happens tonight. Either way, a Bears-Packers matchup is always meaningful no matter what the two teams’ records are.

This is an important game for the Bears even though it may not seem that way. They need to find out what they have in many key positions.

Defensive tackle Henry Melton (shin) will likely be out, and Lance Briggs (ankle) might not be able to go. DE Thaddeus Gibson will get his first chance to play after spending the entire season on the practice squad.

Brandon Meriweather and Craig Steltz will be the safeties for the Bears. Can they be effective? Should either of them be brought back for next season?

This will be a big test for a veteran Bears defense, and hopefully it helps us evaluate the healthy talent on the Bears roster.

Key Questions

Can Josh McCown be a solid backup for Cutler next season?

Can Zackary Bowman be a starter at cornerback, or is Tim Jennings the answer?

Can Max Komar (WR) or Armando Allen (RB) play well enough to earn a roster spot next season?

Will the Bears offensive line play well?

Players Who Must Step Up

Anthony Adams: He will likely be in the lineup with Melton nursing a shin injury. He needs to show why he is valuable to this team because the Bears have a nice rotation at defensive tackle right now and Adams could quickly find his way out if he can’t perform.

Prediction: Three tackles, one sack

Kellen Davis: He will be a free agent come season’s end. Expect him to try to impress tonight. The former defensive end has been a steady blocker at times, but needs to be more consistent to earn a roster spot next season.

Prediction: Three catches, 35 yards.

Zack Bowman: He is one of three cornerbacks on the roster who will be a free agent when the season is over. He needs to show the Bears if he is worth keeping on the roster. The Bears know what they have in Tim Jennings and Corey Graham, but they haven’t seen enough of Bowman lately. He will have to play well to stick around next year.

Prediction: Seven tackles

Final Score

Packers 23, Bears 13

Jake Perper is the owner and head writer for Bearsbacker.com. He is also the Chicago Bears writer for NFLTouchdown.com. Follow him on Twitter, @Bearsbacker and on Facebook for up to the minute news about the Bears.

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