Cardinals vs. Bears: Full Arizona Game Preview
The Arizona Cardinals will look to get off to a 2-0 start for the second consecutive season as they head to Chicago to face the Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon.
Arizona is coming off a Week 1 victory at home over the New Orleans Saints, with the 31-19 scoreline an accurate representation of the solid all-around performance. Carson Palmer showed very little rust in his regular-season return from a knee injury that sidelined him after Week 10 last year.
Chicago, meanwhile, began the John Fox era with a 31-23 loss at home against the Green Bay Packers last Sunday. The Bears will be looking to break a six-game losing streak, dating back to last season.
Click ahead for the full preview, including news, notes and the latest injury report.
Location: Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
Time: 10 a.m. MST
TV: Fox
News and Notes
1 of 5
Johnson and Johnson in the Cardinals backfield
Per Arizona's official website, Andre Ellington was unable to practice on Wednesday due to the knee injury he suffered against New Orleans. Barring a significant turnaround, he's unlikely to recover in time to face Chicago on Sunday.
Should that happen, Chris and David Johnson will handle the majority of the work in the Cardinals backfield.
Chris Johnson proved capable as Ellington's backup in Week 1, rushing for 37 yards on 10 carries. David Johnson made his NFL debut a memorable one, sealing the win for Arizona in the fourth quarter, with a 55-yard touchdown reception on his first touch from scrimmage.
Missing Ellington will be a blow to Arizona's offense, but it's nothing like the team saw last year. This time around, the team is prepared with reinforcements. Expect the elder Johnson to lead the way, while the younger Johnson serves as a dynamic change of pace.
Bruce Arians says his team will be ready to defend the screen
This statement from Arians, per Kyle Odegard of the official site, sums it up:
"Anytime you show something on film, you are going to get it for at least a month because it’s a copycat league. Until you put the fire out, that’s all you’re going to see. We have to do a better job securing that area this week and putting out the fire.
"
After giving up nearly 150 yards in the passing game to Saints running backs last Sunday, it would be difficult for Arizona's defense to be less prepared this week. Still, it's important that the entire defense own its deficiency against the screen pass.
We'll have more on Arizona's struggles to contain running backs in the passing game later in the slideshow and again during Friday's breakdown, but Arians' open insistence on talking about the problem is a good first step.
Latest Injury News
2 of 5
Arizona released its Week 2 injury report on the team's official website on Wednesday. It will be updated throughout the week.
| RB Andre Ellington | Knee |
| WR Michael Floyd | Hand |
| TE Jermaine Gresham | Hamstring |
| TE Ifeanyi Momah | Hamstring |
| G Mike Iupati | Knee |
Floyd, Gresham and Momah were all full participants in Wednesday's practice, while Iupati did some light work and Ellington was absent.
Ellington, of course, is this week's big name, although both he and the team dodged a bullet that his knee injury isn't more serious. There was talk that he would try and practice on Wednesday, but that obviously didn't happen. It seems unlikely he'll play on Sunday.
Floyd's return to full participation should be an indicator that he'll play a much-bigger role in the Cardinals offense on Sunday than he did against the Saints.
Expect Gresham and Momah to be rotated into the game on Sunday as the situation dictates.
Key Matchup
3 of 5
Arizona's run defense vs. Chicago's run offense
No surprise here. Via Pro Football Focus, the Cardinals' highest defensive grade in Week 1 came against the run, while the Bears highest offensive grade in Week 1 was running the football. Simple.
Chicago put up 189 yards on the ground (5.7 per carry) in a losing effort against the Packers last Sunday, nearly matching its passing total. With Jay Cutler at quarterback and limited options at receiver, the ground game is going to remain the Bears' strength, if not the focal point of their attack.
The more work Cutler has to do, the easier life is going to be for Arizona's defense. Chicago's embattled quarterback threw 18 interceptions last year and didn't look much improved against Green Bay in Week 1, getting picked once and completing only 50 percent of his passes.
If Arizona's front seven can impose its will on a Chicago offensive line that received the 11th-best run-blocking grade, according to the aforementioned Pro Football Focus link, it will go a long way toward determining a winner on Sunday.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Three Things to Watch
4 of 5
How will Arizona's "linebackers" deal with Matt Forte?
Linebackers is in quotation marks given Arizona's liberal deployment of their safeties.
An eight-year veteran, Forte remains as involved in Chicago's attack as ever. In addition to his steady presence in the Bears rushing game, he added a career-high 102 receptions in 2014.
That number will weigh heavily on Arizona's coaches this week after the Cardinals defense got roasted by screens all day against the Saints. Not only will Arizona's linebackers and safeties have a job keeping Forte contained between the tackles, but their coverage abilities will also be tested again on Sunday.
Will someone emerge as Carson Palmer's favorite receiver?
Larry Fitzgerald led the Cardinals with six receptions against New Orleans, while John Brown and Darren Fells each chipped in with four.
The stage was set for Brown to take on a starring role against a depleted Saints secondary and with Michael Floyd on a snap count, but that never happened. Will Floyd take on the No. 1 receiver role? Will Brown explode now that the spotlight is off him?
The smart money says that Palmer will continue spreading the ball around to his best option. He's far too experienced, and his receivers are far too talented for him to need a security blanket.
Can Alex Okafor continue his star turn?
It's not easy for Okafor to stand out next to the likes of Calais Campbell, Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu, but the third-year player will begin earning his share of headlines if he continues getting to the quarterback.
Okafor followed up his breakout sophomore campaign by sacking Drew Brees twice in Week 1. Not only is it immediately clear that Okafor is Arizona's best pure pass-rusher, but he also might prove to be one of the NFC's best pass-rushers.
If this keeps up, Okafor will replace rain clouds and gentle breezes as the preferred metaphorical image in the Valley of the Sun.
Prediction: Cardinals 24, Bears 13
5 of 5
For the second straight week, Arizona is up against an NFC rival in the first steps of a rebuilding process. Bruce Arians will expect his team to take full advantage of the situation, and so should fans.
John Fox is an accomplished head coach, and the Bears have three legitimate Pro Bowlers on offense. That said, the quarterback situation is a mess, and their defensive identity is yet to be forged in Fox's 3-4 scheme.
As was the case last week, Arizona is simply further along in its program than Chicago, and that will be the difference this early in the season. Arians and the rest of the organization know how important it is to get off to a fast start in the NFC West, especially with the Seattle Seahawks slipping up in Week 1. There won't be any room for a letup against Chicago.
Check back on Friday night for the full how and the why of how Arizona can beat Chicago.
Final prediction: Arizona 24 Chicago 13
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
