Chicago Bears: 7 Players Who Need to Step Up Versus the Lions Monday

The Chicago Bears are coming into their game against the 4-0 Detroit Lions with a 2-2 record as well as a ton of issues on both sides of the ball.  The passing game appears to be broken, and the defense has problems defending against both the run and the pass.  With the Lions being one of the better passing teams in the league, the Bears will have to get better on defense in a hurry or else they will lose this game.

As always, there are some individual players who need to step up and play well in this game in order to help the Bears get to a win.  Here are seven guys who need to have a good game in order for the Bears to come away with a win and keep their hopes of making the postseason alive.

Jay Cutler, Quarterback

Jay Cutler could be on this list just about each and every week, but he, like many others on this team, has a lot to prove in this game.  The Bears' passing game suffered a lot in their game against the Panthers last week, and they will need to get that passing game going against this hot Lions team.  It all starts with Cutler.

Cutler needs to have a good game against the Lions in order to help quell some of the fears about the Bears' passing game.  In order to do this, he has to get good pass protection, his receivers have to run the right routes and catch the ball, and his offensive coordinator cannot forget about the running game. Cutler will be under one huge microscope come Monday.

Johnny Knox, Wide Receiver

Knox was upset when he was removed from the starting spot after the arrival of Roy Williams during the preseason, and he vowed to show that he was indeed the Bears' No. 1 wide receiver.  So far, he has struggled to show that he could be an effective No. 3 wide receiver, as he has continued to run the wrong routes and drop passes. 

Knox has the speed to stretch the defense, but since he’s not a big threat to catch the ball, he’s not that big of a part of the offense.  If Knox can catch a few passes and help the Bears move the ball through the air, then they will do well.  If he keeps playing like he has been, the passing offense might as well pack it in for this game.

Roy Williams, Wide Receiver

It’s all about the receivers this week, and Williams, a guy the Bears thought could help bring their passing offense out of the doldrums, really needs to step up in this game.  Like Knox, Williams has had his problems catching the ball and will need to catch everything that is thrown his way in order for the Bears to have success in the passing game.

Williams is a threat and needs to prove that he can be a threat.  Will he be able to do that against his former team?

Julius Peppers, Defensive End

Peppers was brought in to put pressure on the passer, and he has done that at times—but at other times, it appears he has been taken completely out of the play and isn’t doing much.  Peppers needs to show up in big games and this will be one of the biggest games on the Bears schedule so far this season.  The whole defensive line needs to step up and get pressure on Matthew Stafford, because putting pressure on him will help the Bears win.

Brandon Meriweather, Safety

The Bears thought that bringing in Meriweather would really help out their safety position, although it was thought it would be a little while before he started.  When Chris Harris went out with an injury, Meriweather was thrust into the starting lineup and he has had his problems. 

There are times when he tends to freelance (which doesn’t work well in the Bears' defensive system) and this has cost the Bears defense.  He’s a hard hitter, but he’s drawing fines for his hits and this will put the Bears on notice and make the referees be much harder on them.

Meriweather has to play with a better head on his shoulders in this game.

Lance Louis, Offensive Guard/Tackle

If the Bears' coaching staff needs to make some moves on the offensive line like they did last week, you may end up seeing Louis at the tackle position again in place of Frank Omiyale.  Omiyale continues to struggle at the right tackle position, and putting Louis in there did some good—but in this game, where they will be matched up against the Lions' Ndamukong Suh, the best player has to be in the lineup to try to block him.

Louis may be the best bet for the Bears at that position.

Roberto Garza, Center

Garza has been quietly helping keep the Bears' offensive line together for the most part, but he will have a very important role in making sure that Suh gets blocked in this game.  The Bears have had problems with keeping Cutler off the ground, and with Suh being known as one of the dirtiest players in the NFL, that combination could get Cutler hurt. 

Garza is going to have to make good line calls and help keep his group motivated for the huge task at hand on Monday night.