Chicago Bears Hungry in Their Week Seven Cleveland Browns Matchup

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

The Cleveland Browns head to Chicago to take on a Bears team that is licking its wounds after a 45-10 beat down from the Cincinnati Bengals last week.

The Bears seemed to be riding high after starting the season 3-1, including a win against the world champion Steelers. But they are now on a two game losing streak and are hungry to put on a beat down of their own this week.

Offensively, the Bears have the weapons to do it. But defensively, they are struggling to overcome the loss of All Pro linebacker Brian Urlacher.

Quarterback Jay Cutler and running back Matt Forte lead the offense.

Cutler has struggled to gain consistency after being traded away from the Denver Broncos. But with one of the leagues strongest arms and the capability to buy time in the pocket with his feet, he can light teams up on any given day.

Cutler is coming off of a three-interception game and has now thrown five picks in the last two (nine interceptions in the Bears three losses). The season has been a tale of two Cutlers as in the teams' three wins he has seven touchdown passes against just one interception.

Forte, who ran for over 1,200 yards in his rookie debut, is going threw some growing pains in his sophomore season. Forte currently has just one touchdown run against three fumbles, and his yards per carry average has dropped to 3.5 in his second season.

He did manage 121 yards on only 12 carries in Week Four against the Lions, but he has had three games this season where he was not even able to get over the 30-yard barrier.

It seems as though the Bears are a team in transition as they attempt to find their offensive identity from a run-first team to a team more reliant on the passing game. Look for coach Lovie Smith to try to gain more balance in their attack against the Browns this week.

The receiving corps is led by Devin Hester, who is starting to establish himself as more than just an electric return man. Hester is coming off his first 100-yard receiving game this year and is beginning to figure out the intricacies of the position.

The rest of the wideouts are average at best. Second year wideout Earl Bennett is becoming Cutler’s go-to guy in third-down situations, but has not established himself as a big play threat.

Rashied Davis was beginning to look like a playmaker in 2008, but is currently buried down the depth chart as the team looks to use return man-wide receiver Johnny Knox  to take shots down the field in three-receiver sets.

Knox, in his rookie season out of small Alibene Christian College, has three receiving touchdowns (all over 20-yards) and one kickoff return for a touchdown this year.

The offensive line is a veteran group whose old legs are having a difficult time in the run game.

Center Olin Kreutz is in his twelve year. Left tackle Orlando Pace, now in his thirteenth season, is struggling to regain his Pro Bowl form after several seasons of injuries.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?