Chargers vs. Bears: Which Team Has the Edge at Each Positional Matchup?

The Bears take on the Chargers at Soldier Field on Sunday as the 6-3 Bears look to extend their four-game win streak.

The Chargers, meanwhile, are heading in the opposite direction, having lost four in a row.

San Diego is only 4-5, though they can keep pace in the awful AFC West with a victory over Chicago.

The Chargers are just 1-3 on the road this season, while the Bears are a confident 4-1 at home thus far, so the matchup looks fairly one-sided at first glance.

But we all know that the winners of the critical individual matchups often win the game.

Yes, it is a team sport, but one that is often decided by the collective talents of a group of players winning their individual battles.  

With that in mind, let's check out some of the key matchups and see how the teams stack up.

LT Marcus McNeill or Brandyn Dombrowski vs. Julius Peppers

The Chargers offensive line has been bad this season, and they are very banged up, so this could be a field day for the Bears pass rush.

The pressure that the Bears have been getting from their front four has certainly been inconsistent this season, but should benefit from four-time Pro Bowl LG Kris Dielman's season-ending concussion.

The San Diego line may also be without starting LT Marcus McNeil (neck). If he is out and Brandyn Dombrowski starts in his place, that could be trouble for the Chargers.

Dombrowski lacks the athleticism to match up against Peppers' combination of quickness and power.

Advantage: Bears

Chargers QB Philip Rivers vs. Major Wright and Chris Conte

Rivers was considered one of the game's elite QBs prior to this season, but his uncharacteristically sloppy play has played a big role in the Chargers struggles. 

Rivers has thrown 15 picks, which leads the league and matches his career high. He has also lost four fumbles.

The Bears have been employing a lot less of the base Tampa-2 coverage and instead have been mixing in a lot of cover-1. Their increased reliance on man coverage and zone pressure has stymied opponents during their winning streak.

If Rivers does not protect the football, he will continue to turn it over in spades against this opportunistic defense.

Chicago had six takeaways last week against the Lions, including four interceptions, so Rivers had better be careful or this could be a long day for him.

On the other hand, he could get a lot of yards against the soft zone if he is patient.

The Bears play their safeties very deep, so he could rack up yardage underneath if he is smart. He is facing the 29th-ranked pass defense in the league.

But if he forces tight throws into coverage, he could be in trouble. But DJ Moore injured his ankle in practice, so he could miss the game.

Advantage: Bears

Matt Forte vs. Chargers Run Defense

The Bears normally do not run well against a 3-4 defense. The Packers stifled the Bears attack in Week 3, if you recall.

Since then, however, the running game has been just fine, thank you, and Forte is having a monster season running the ball and catching it out of the backfield.

The Chargers have allowed 130 or more yards rushing in four of the past five games.

They miss former defensive coordinator Ron Rivera and his staff. New defensive coordinator Greg Manusky's defense has taken a step backward.

The Chargers will likely stack the box and dare Jay Cutler to throw the ball. This strategy worked, for the most part, last week for the Lions, as they held Forte in check, particularly in the first half.

But Forte has consistently shown he has the vision and elusiveness to make something out of nothing, so you can expect a big day from him against the Chargers.

Advantage: Bears

Chargers Pass Rush Vs. Edwin Williams

The Bears will be without the services of LG Chris Williams (wrist), as he was placed on IR. Williams had been playing well, especially in pulling for the running game. 

Although Edwin Williams has experience, this could upset the rhythm that the Bears offensive line has had during their winning streak.

Against the Chargers, who don't strike fear in rushing the passer, Edwin is expected to be an improvement over Chris.

Still, Antwan Barnes has six sacks at linebacker, including two against Aaron Rodgers.

Advantage: Chargers

Chargers WR Vincent Jackson vs. Charles Tillman

Jackson has eight catches for 163 yards and three scores in his last two games. On the season, he has 635 yards with six TDs on 35 catches.

Meanwhile, he will likely face the Bears top cornerback in Charles Tillman on Sunday. Tillman has been playing very well, and he practically owned Calvin "Megatron" Johnson last week.

But the Bears pass defense does give up a lot of yards, so while Tillman may win this match up, the other San Diego wideouts may put up some good numbers, especially if Rivers finds the soft zone in the defense.

Overall, the Chargers wideouts would win this match up against a Bears defense that averages 270 yards per game against them.

But a combination of the takeaways and the fact that Tillman is playing at a Pro Bowl level gives this one to the Bears.

Advantage: Bears

Jay Cutler vs, Chargers Safety Eric Weddle and the Chargers Secondary

Weddle is tied for the league lead in interceptions (five), so Cutler had better not revert to his bad mechanics of throwing off his back foot and forcing balls into coverage.

Weddle has had three picks in two games against Kansas City's Matt Cassel this season. He has not yet had an interception against a QB as good as Cutler this season.  

Still, Cutler is known to sometimes throw balls into tight coverage, trusting his arm too much. Plus, when the line doesn't give him time to throw, he can revert to bad mechanics.

He still does not like to throw the ball away, though he has gotten better at that over the years.

Overall, San Diego is sixth in the NFL in pass defense. However, in QB ratings, though that may be a flawed stat, the Chargers rank 29th in allowing opposing QBs to post a 96.4 average against them.

So if they don't allow a lot of yards, how do QBs rank so well? Well, only three teams have allowed more passing TDs against them, and they have sacked the opposing QB just 18 times.

Only four teams have allowed a better completion percentage against them. And Cutler is playing well when he has time to throw.

Advantage: Bears

Chargers WRs Vincent Brown, Malcolm Floyd and TE Antonio Gates vs. Tim Jennings

Of course, Jennings alone won't be responsible for all of these guys, but the title slide wouldn't let me include the other corners.

Vincent Brown caught his first-career TD against Oakland and has nine catches for 176 yards in last two games.

Meanwhile, Malcolm Floyd presents a potential mismatch for the Bears shorter corners. The 5'8" Jennings is a tough hitter who is unafraid to stick his nose in there, but lacks the height to go up against Floyd and Gates.

With Tillman covering Jackson, the Bears pass defense, among the worst in the league, will likely give up some yards to these guys.

That is, unless Rivers throws it away.

Advantage: Chargers

Chargers Ryan Matthews vs. Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher

The Bears run defense has been very spotty this season. But Urlacher and Briggs are playing at a high level and coming up with huge plays.

Meanwhile, Matthews has had his share of injuries this season, but has been effective when healthy.

Coming off of a six-carry performance against the Raiders on Thursday night, Matthews is expected to carry more of a load against the Bears.

Last Sunday, the Bears benefited from Detroit's Jahvid Best being out, and against Tampa Bay in London, their backs were banged up.

But if Matthews is healthy and ready to go, he is an effective weapon catching the ball out of the backfield.

Still, the play of the Bears linebackers has been too good to give this match up to the Chargers.

Advantage: Even

Devin Hester vs Chargers Special Teams

Assuming that Hester is ready to go on Sunday, this is a critical matchup, as the Bears have the greatest return man in the history of the NFL.

Hester has been bothered by a sore ankle, as well as sickness, but the Bears do expect him to go on Sunday.

San Diego punter Mike Scifres is very good, and unlike the Lions rookie, is expected to be smart and punt away from Hester.

Scifres, a product of Western Illinois, is averaging a career-high 49.8 yards per punt with a 41.9 yard net average.

In 2007, he took Hester out of the game with long hang times.

Still, how can you give the match up to anyone when you are talking about the baddest man on the planet? No way.

Advantage: Bears 

Chargers Kicker Nick Novak vs Robbie Gould

Novak has been excellent this year and has made 17-of-19 field goals. He hasn't always been this accurate, as his 73.5 percent career average will attest to.

But wait until he tries to kick at windy Soldier Field.

Despite kicking half of his games in Chicago, Gould has been one of the steadiest kickers in the game since he came into the league.

I guarantee you that if it comes down to it, Gould has the advantage.

Advantage: Bears