Chicago Bears Week 12 Predictions: 5 Trends To Continue Against the Raiders

In Week 12, the Chicago Bears continue the AFC West portion of their schedule when they travel to the west coast to take on the first-place Oakland Raiders. The game marks the beginning of life after quarterback Jay Cutler—who probably won't return to the field this season after injuring his thumb late last week against the San Diego Chargers.

During a press conference this week, head coach Lovie Smith was confident that the Bears could provide Caleb Hanie with enough support during Cutler's absence (via AOL Sporting News).

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"Don't feel sorry for us, we have a lot of things in place."

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Smith also said that the Bears would lean a little more on running back Matt Forte, and that the defense and special teams needed to continue playing at a high level (via the Chicago Tribune).

The Bears' first test without Cutler will be against the surging Raiders, winners of four of their last six games.

The Raiders are also familiar with the sudden loss of their quarterback. Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell was playing well this year before breaking his collarbone in Week 6, which ended his season.

The Raiders traded for former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, and despite a rocky start for the two-time Pro Bowl quarterback, the Raiders have won two straight. With both teams right in the middle of their respective conferences' playoff races, we should see the following trends continue in this Week 12 matchup between the Bears and the Raiders.

Bears Won't Put Enough Pressure on Carson Palmer

Despite getting sacked four times in Week 11 by the Minnesota Vikings, whichever quarterback has taken snaps for the Raiders this season has received a good amount of protection.

The Raiders offensive line has played at a high level this season. They boast the league's third-best running game, and through the first ten games, the Raiders have given up the fourth-fewest sacks in the NFL.

The Bears are ranked 26th in sacks for the 2011 season, and besides defensive end Julius Peppers, the Bears defense has not been getting to the quarterback with any consistency this season.

Against the banged-up offensive line of the San Diego Chargers, the Bears weren't able to record any sacks in their Week 11 victory. The Bears' bend-but-don't-break defense will be put to the test Sunday, as quarterback Carson Palmer seems to have peeled back some of the rust on his game the last two weeks.

If Palmer is given plenty of time to throw, he may be able to avoid the mistakes that plagued him during the first few weeks of his return to the field this season.

Bears Rushing Attack Will Continue To Thrive

While Matt Forte's yards-per-carry average has taken a hit the last three weeks, he should surpass 1,000 rushing yards against the Raiders in Week 12.

With Jay Cutler out and backup quarterback Caleb Hanie in for the Bears, they will definitely lean more on their running game.

The Raiders are ranked 25th against the run this season, and with Forte and Marion Barber coming to town, the Raiders' struggles against the run should continue.

Another player to watch for on Sunday, who can post some big yards on the ground, is Bears quarterback Caleb Hanie. Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder scrambled for 71 yards on five carries last week against the Raiders. Hanie does have some mobility, and when he's called on to throw the ball, he might find some success on the ground if there are no options down the field.

The bulk of the workload, though, will fall on Forte and Barber, and the Bears should enjoy success in their running game against the Raiders.

Bears Will Win the Turnover Battle Against the Raiders

One of the keys to the Bears' five-game winning streak has been their ability to force turnovers. In the Bears' last five games, they have caused 15 turnovers, while only giving the ball away seven times.

The Bears are among the league leaders in giveaway/takeaway ratio with +11.

The Oakland Raiders have had a hard time keeping possession this season, especially since Carson Palmer took over as quarterback.

In their last four games, the Raiders have turned the ball over 12 times.

Like their 2006 NFC Champion predecessors, this current Bears team has been opportunistic, zeroing in on the ball, and forcing their opponents into making mistakes.

The only challenge the Bears will face Sunday in the turnover department will be how Caleb Hanie responds to the Raiders pass-rush. The Raiders are among the league leaders in sacks, with 28 on the season.

Hanie may make mistakes if he's pressured often on Sunday.

It's a safe bet, however, that Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz will have a simplified game plan in place Sunday for the Bears' new starting quarterback. Hanie will most likely be put in the best position not to make mistakes.

Bears Should Score Often Against the Raiders

Even with a backup quarterback lining up under center Sunday, the Chicago Bears should continue their knack for scoring often. The Bears have scored the sixth-most points in the NFL this season, averaging 26.8 points per game. Conversely, the Raiders have allowed the sixth-most points in the NFL this season.

While Bears quarterback Caleb Hanie has not seen the field much during the regular season in his career, he has recently shown his ability to lead the team on scoring drives.

After Jay Cutler was sidelined with a knee injury during the NFC Championship game last year, Hanie led the Bears to two touchdowns in the second half during the Bears' loss to the Packers, highlighted by Hanie's 35-yard touchdown pass to Earl Bennett.

With a potent running game going up against the Raiders' suspect run defense, the offense should have no trouble controlling possession and putting up some points.

The Bears can also draw on their defense and top-ranked special teams unit for scoring opportunities.

Bears Will Dominate Raiders on Special Teams

As most teams in the NFL know, the Chicago Bears possess a top-level special teams unit. From kicking and kick coverage to returns, the Bears are hands-down the league's best special teams unit.

Bears return specialist Devin Hester has been torching teams' coverage units this season. Hester has returned two punts for touchdowns, while averaging more than 21 yards per return. Hester has also returned a kickoff for a touchdown in 2011.

The Raiders have yielded the most punt return yards in the NFL this season, and have also allowed two punt returns for touchdowns.

Bears kicker Robbie Gould can go toe-to-toe with Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski. The two are among the league's best kickers.

It will all boil down to the return game, however, and what kind of impact Devin Hester will have. With their star quarterback, Jay Cutler, out for some time, the Bears will need to find help from all areas of their game. Their special teams unit should continue to have a huge impact Sunday, as it has all season.