Bears vs. Falcons: What Experts Are Saying About Chicago

The Chicago Bears are looking to break a two-game losing streak as they travel to Atlanta to face the Falcons. This game features a pair of 2-3 teams looking to get back to .500 and salvage the early part of the season. 

The offense has been under the gun all week due to its lack of scoring over the past few weeks. Luckily, the Bears face a team that is not known for having a stout defense. 

As we look around to gauge what the experts think, we find the arrow pointing down on Jay Cutler, some reminiscing about Devin Hester and a Bears receiver who needs to be trusted on your fantasy team. 

Here is what the experts are saying about the Bears going into Week 6. 

ESPNChicago.com's Jon Greenberg Thinks the Bears Miss Devin Hester

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It's been a tough start for the Bears on special teams this year. Their kick return game has been a revolving door of mediocre misfits, and worse of all they see former team great Devin Hester succeeding in Atlanta. 

As the Bears prepare to face Hester again, ESPNChicago.com's Jon Greenberg can't help but reminisce about Hester and proclaim the team misses his excitement and energy.

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As the Bears travel to Atlanta of play the Falcons on Sunday, there is no question they miss Hester as much as this columnist. Perhaps they miss him more than they anticipated, though that's on Bears general manager Phil Emery and coach Marc Trestman for all but ignoring the special teams personnel. No one is afraid of whoever the Bears put back on kick returns.

Hester says he is better off with the Falcons, who are 2-3, like the Bears. But Chicago isn't better off without him, salary cap hit or not.

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It's tough to disagree with Greenberg. The Bears thought they were saving money by parting ways with a washed-up player, but Hester has been one of the better bargains in the league. Every time you see him with a highlight this season, Chicago is reminded that letting him go to save a little bit of money was a huge mistake. 

Chicago Sun Times' Rick Morrissey Says Jay Cutler Just Can't Cut It

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

In the loss against the Carolina Panthers, it was just too much of the same. The Bears squandered another game in the palm of their hands, and at the center was quarterback Jay Cutler with more costly turnovers. 

Chicago Sun-Times' Rick Morrissey has seen enough and is ready to call a spade a spade. 

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Go ahead and analyze Sunday’s debacle all you want, but this was about the ability to thrive in the clutch. When the Bears needed Cutler to deliver in the fourth quarter, he delivered to the Panthers.

I’m beyond expecting any different from Cutler. I’m not Charlie Brown thinking he’ll finally be able to kick the football. I know what Cutler is, and yet I still find myself amazed at how consistently inconsistent he is. Or maybe I’m just impressed that someone can be so maddeningly mercurial on a regular basis. Even his most ardent supporters have to cringe when he has the ball in his hands with the game on the line.

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At this point, you can't blame anybody who is ready to sell their stock in Cutler. The only positive takeaway is he has 11 games left this year to prove people wrong. There is still plenty of time to right the ship and get back on everyone's good graces. 

CBSSports.com's Chris Towers Says Don't Give Up on Brandon Marshall Yet

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Every since his three-touchdown performance in San Francisco, Brandon Marshall has been relatively quiet. An ankle injury has slowed the All-Pro, and fantasy owners are starting to get worried. 

CBSSports.com's fantasy expert Chris Towers thinks you should be patient. Marshall's ankle is getting better, and the amount of reps he had on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers proves that. 

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The good news is, he was at least well enough to play 97 percent of the team's offensive snaps Sunday against the Panthers. Sure, he was only targeted on five of his 62 plays, a paltry 8 percent mark, but that may be more about the game's flow than anything else. One-third of the team's passes went to Matt Forte, a mark they are unlikely to reach again soon.

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Marshall should bounce back against a very weak Atlanta secondary. His ankle might bother him until the team reaches the bye week, but he should still be a decent play this weekend. Put him in your lineup with full confidence. 

CSNChicago.com's John Mullin Sees the Bears Going After an Old Friend

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Remember former Bears first-round pick Gabe Carimi? He is now with the Atlanta Falcons and figures to be attacked early and often by the Bears pass rush. 

CSNChicago.com's John Mullin knows the Bears have extensive knowledge on Carimi, and they plan to use it on Sunday. 

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Ex-Bear Gabe Carimi has started three games for the Atlanta Falcons. One at left tackle, one at tight end and most recently, one at right tackle. The Falcons have lost all three and the Bears would like to help him keep his streak alive

And in his fourth NFL season, even with time missed for injuries, there is a 'book' on the former Wisconsin All-American.

'He has trouble against speed on the edge,' said one Bears player. 'We’re not going to treat him like a scrub or anything, but he’s going to be an O-lineman we’re going to attack. I wouldn’t be surprised if [somebody] got three [sacks].'

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If the Bears can get anything out of their former starting tackle, it's a few sacks now that he's on another team. The Bears should attack Carimi early and often and do what they can to kick-start this pass rush. 

Fox Sports' Peter Schrager Uses a Roof to Pick Against the Bears

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The Bears and Falcons are in similar situations. Both teams came into the season with big expectations but have faltered out of the gate. 

This is a very tough game to pick, but Fox Sports' Peter Schrager thinks he's come up with the perfect reason to go against the Bears; he uses a roof as his primary reason. 

"One big, passing offense with a struggling defense and a frustrated fanbase will play another big, passing offense with a struggling defense and a frustrated fanbase," he wrote. "Outside? Give me the Bears. Inside? Give me the Falcons. Well, that was easy."

Schrager's logic may seem silly, but he's on to something. This is virtually a toss-up where anything can happen. It's usually smart to go with the home team who is used to playing in the dome. Bears fans might not like the pick, but it's tough to go against it.