How the Arizona Cardinals match-up with: the Chicago Bears (Week 9)

Chicago Bears vs. Arizona Cardinals 

Week 9 - @Chicago, Soldier Field
Sunday, Nov. 8, 1:00 PM ET, FOX

All-time series: Chicago 55 - Arizona 26, and 6 ties
Last 10 games: Chicago 7 - Arizona 3

Interesting Stat: "If you want to crown 'em, then crown their a**!" was the most widely quoted sports outburst in the last five years (okay, I just made that up, but it is one of the greatest postgame meltdowns of all time).  This will be the first time the Bears and Cardinals have played since that infamous Monday Night game in 2006.

Quarterback
Bears - Bears fans are ecstatic to have Jay Cutler (and the media is pretty high on him too), but in my mind, what didn't quite work in Denver probably won't quite work in Chicago either.  If Cutler doesn't produce results (and quickly), he will find himself in a town much less friendly than the Rocky Mountain city.  I can't exactly blame Chicago fans for being excited that the Bears landed Cutler - behind him is Caleb Hanie and Brett Basanez...Who?!?  Cutler could go to the Pro Bowl again...or he could get booed off the field...there's no in-between in Chicago.
Cardinals - Kurt Warner and the Big Three should have their way with a very soft Bears secondary.  The only real threat to Warner in this game is the weather - if it is as windy as it usually is in Chicago at the beginning of November, the running game will become much more important and Warner could be taken out of this game completely, but I don't expect that to happen.
Edge: Cardinals, both by starter and by depth.

Running Back
Bears - This is one area where the Bears don't have trouble - Matt Forte was a standout back last year and should only get better behind an improved offensive line this year.  Kevin Jones and Adrian Peterson (the "other" Adrian Peterson) are both pretty solid, too, and behind all three of them, should the Bears need to go this deep, is a promising young Garrett Wolfe.  This is one of the best front-to-back running units in the NFL and if the Cardinals want to have any chance in this game, they need to stop Forte and company.
Cardinals - This is another game in which Chris "Beanie" Wells and Tim Hightower have to be able to step up in order for the game to go as planned.  Though the Bears secondary shouldn't be too much of a problem for Warner, if the wind gets to be too much and Kurt has to hang on to the ball longer than usual to find perfect passing lanes, the run has to be able to take some pressure off the front line - Make the Bears stick eight in the box and you've got a lot more room to throw.
Edge: Bears, by a mile.

Wide Receiver
Bears - This unit should be improved over last year with the addition of rookie Juaquin Iglesias from Oklahoma to an already pretty solid three.  Devin Hester can go the distance every time he touches the ball and Rashied Davis and Earl Bennett are very consistent in their game.  Couple that with a pretty nice bit of tight end play and you've got the makings of a very powerful offense.  I still think they need one more stand-out receiver to complete the package, but the Bears are closer than they've ever been.
Cardinals - If the weather cooperates (relatively speaking, of course - it is Chicago, after all), Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston can run circles around this secondary.  That is a big "if."  The weather never cooperates in Chicago and the tight ends and running game could be important here - unforunately, the Cardinals aren't exactly stunning with either unit.  That said, this is still one of the best wide receiver groups in the NFL.
Edge: Cardinals, since the wind and cold will be the same for both sides.

Tight End
Bears - Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen may be the best one-two tight end duo in football.  The question this year isn't which one will have the most catches, but which one will go to the Pro Bowl?  I like these two to take a lot of pressure off a quarterback in a new system in a very windy climate.
Cardinals - "Close, but no cigar" is the best way I can describe the last couple of years at tight end for the Cardinals.  Ben Patrick can catch anything that comes his way, but he's slow and bumbly.  Leonard Pope runs good routes and has great size, but he can't block worth a snuff.  Stephen Spach can block and catch, but was injured at the heighth of his play last year.
Edge: Bears, and an explanation's not even needed.

Offensive Line
Bears - This is definitely an improved line over last year (and one with a whole new look).  The free agent signings of Orlando Pace, Kevin Shaffer, and Frank Omiyale are a great sign from the Bears front office that they want to see results right now.  Though this unit will need a couple of games to gel and though Pace has had some injury concerns, if everything clicks the way Bears fans are hoping, this could be the anchor of an offense with a great running game and a solid quarterback throwing to a group of very athletic wide receivers.  All the pieces are in place, but the dominoes have to fall just the right way for it to all come together.
Cardinals - The Cardinals are more comfortable than almost any team in the NFL right now at this position.  Though there were hiccups last year, they return all five starters from every single game (including the postseason).  You can't buy that kind of chemistry.
Edge: Cardinals, since the Bears line is all new and still unproven.

Defensive Line
Bears - The Bears took Jarron Gilbert from San Jose State with their first pick in the draft this year (though it was in the third round) to try and add a little depth to a pretty good group of guys.  With Rod Marinelli working hard with this unit, you can expect a bit of an increase in sacks and at least a consistency against the run like they had last year.  The Bears probably won't be beat through the middle too often.
Cardinals - Calais Campbell is probably the biggest question mark on this line, but it's a matter of production, not talent.  If he can play to his potential, the flood gates will open for Darnell Dockett and Bertrand Berry and quarterbacks better look out.  As I've mentioned before, Dockett is trying to get a new deal, so he'll be playing at the top of his game and that's a scary thought if you're an opposing offense.
Edge: Draw, both lines can plug holes and get to the QB and both fan bases will probably argue that I'm wrong here.

Linebacker
Bears - The only negative thing I can say about this unit is that they're getting old.  But don't tell that to Brian Urlacher.  He's still playing with the reckless abandon of a rookie (with the intelligence of a veteran).  Next to Lance Briggs, these two make up one of the best linebacking groups in the NFL.  Though they don't generate a lot of sacks, they do tend to bring about a high number of turnovers, which is probably better.  The Bears did draft Marcus Freeman from Ohio State, but there is a chance of him moving to the safety position.
Cardinals - If I've said it once, I've said it a million times (or written, rather), Cody Brown needs to have an impact and it needs to be right away.  If Brown can take some pressure off of Karlos Dansby and Gerald Hayes, these three could make life miserable for offenses.
Edge: Bears, but if the injury-bug comes to Chicago, this could go the Cardinals' way.

Secondary
Bears - This group is not as good as they need to be and the Bears know it - They went after this position hard in the draft.  They took D.J. Moore from Vanderbilt, the aformentioned Marcus Freeman (who could become a safety), and Al Afalava from Oregon State in hopes that one or two of these guys could step up right away.  Though Craig Steltz should be able to have a nice impact this year and Charles Tillman had a few picks last year, overall, this group ranked 30th in passing defense and needs to do a better job in coverage.  I do expect an improvement here, but against Warner, Fitzgerald, and Boldin, I see some trouble in this game specifically.
Cardinals - Like the Bears, the Cardinals did some heavy work on this group in the offseason.  They added Bryant McFadden from the Steelers and picked up Rashad Johnson from Alabama and Greg Toler from St. Paul's College in the draft.  Also like the Bears, this should be a much improved group and I see them in the top 15 in the league, but there is some growing to be had all the same.
Edge: Bears, by a smidge.  It will be interesting to see which group performs better in this game - this is a position to watch.

Special Teams
Bears - Do not kick the ball to Devin Hester...Do not kick the ball to Devin Hester...Do not kick the ball to Devin Hester.  If only Dennis Green would have heeded those words.  So yeah, the Bears are good in the return game.  In fact, the Bears are good in all special teams play. Brad Maynard is a solid punter and Robbie Gould is one of the better field goal kickers in the country.
Cardinals - Ben Graham...Do not kick the ball to Devin Hester.  Ben Graham, don't kick the ball at all.  That is my solution to the Cardinals' punting woes - go for it on every fourth down.  But seriously, don't kick the ball to Devin Hester.  Neil Rackers is money from anywhere on the field and the return game should be much improved this year since the front office drafted all kinds of speed.  Not great, but will get the job done in most games.
Edge: Bears, and don't kick the ball to Devin Hester.  Seriously.

Overall
Bears - This is deinitely my opinion and I won't deny there may be bias involved, but I don't think Jay Cutler is the answer for the Bears.  I don't like his attitude and I don't like how his mistakes come in waves.  Unlike most of the media, I haven't forgotten that he threw 18 interceptions last year.  And in the Windy City, that number could just get worse.  If Cutler has been underperforming up to this game, expect a make-or-break attitude to be spotlighted by the Chicago media and if that indeed is the case, if Cutler can't complete some passes and drive the Bears down the field early, expect a reign of boos from the home crowd.  On the other hand, if the media pundits are right and the Bears are destined to win the NFC, then call me an idiot and the Cardinals are in big trouble in this game.
Cardinals - I don't think this game will be easy, by any means, with the expected bad weather and a home crowd that is never cordial to visiting teams, but this is the Cardinals' chance to get some redemption with a new team, a new coach, and a new era to right the wrongs of the bygone era (which includes the infamous Denny Green rant and a total collapse on Monday Night Football).  The run game needs to produce, but by week 9, the Cardinals should have that pretty much worked out, which will open the passing lanes for Warner to get the job done.

Week 9 (pre-training camp) prediction: Arizona 27 - Chicago 17

Other weekly opponent breakdowns:
Arizona Cardinals vs. San Francisco 49ers - Weeks 1 and 14
Arizona Cardinals vs. Jacksonville Jaguars - Week 2
Arizona Cardinals vs. Indianapolis Colts - Week 3
Arizona Cardinals vs. Houston Texans - Week 5
Arizona Cardinals vs. Seattle Seahawks - Weeks 6 and 10
Arizona Cardinals vs. New York Giants - Week 7
Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers - Week 8
Arizona Cardinals vs. St. Louis Rams - Weeks 11 and 16
Arizona Cardinals vs. Tennessee Titans - Week 12

More Chicago Bears analysis:
Chicago Bears Examiner