Chiefs vs Bears: 8 Key Matchups for a Chicago Victory

The Chicago Bears host the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, and the Bears hope to rebound from their loss to Oakland last week.

This is a matchup between two teams who have had injuries at the QB position.

The Chiefs lost QB Matt Cassel, while the Bears lost Jay Cutler, and it couldn't have happened at a worse time for Chicago, who had won five consecutive games prior to the Cutler injury.

The Chiefs are a team that cannot score, while the Bears are now a team that needs to rely on its running game, defense and special teams.

Now, make no mistake, this is a game the Bears are absolutely expected to win. They want to reach the magical number of wins (10) that usually assures a Wild Card berth, and this game is a must-win if they are going to reach that goal.

But the Chiefs played well against the Pittsburgh Steelers, so this is not an automatic victory for Chicago.

Recognizing that, let's take a look at the key matchups that will determine the outcome of this critical game.

J'Marcus Webb vs. Chiefs OLB Tamba Hali

The Chiefs don't rush the passer as well as the Raiders, but as I indicated in a previous article, their overall defense is slightly better than Oakland.

Still, they do have one legitimate threat, and that is Hali, who has seven of the Chiefs league-low 13 sacks. Hali was second in the league last season with 14.5 sacks.

So it will be up to Webb to keep Hali from getting to Caleb Hanie, since Hali rushes primarily from the right side. The Bears will need to continue giving Webb help, as Webb still doesn't impress me as the long-term answer at LT.

An extra tight end staying in to block and/or a chipping back will hopefully help keep Hali at bay.

Lance Louis will also need to be on his toes too, because the Chiefs will move Hali around to the other side occasionally. But Louis has been playing well, so I am more concerned with the blind side rush.

Though they sacked him only once, the Chiefs pressured Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger all game long last week.

Hali is quick and powerful. He actually played DE when the Chiefs played a 4-3 defense. He is very strong and agile, so Mike Martz had better continue bringing help for his tackles in pass protection, or Hanie is going to feel the wrath of Hali.

Advantage: Chiefs. I don't like Webb, but as long as Martz helps him, this should be a fairly even battle, especially since there is only one guy for Chicago to focus on. Still, Hanie is making just his second start.

Matt Forté and Marion Barber vs Chiefs Run Defense

I expect more carries for Forté, who ran the rock only 12 times last week. He gained 59 yards on the ground, but 33 of them came on one run. He has struggled to find much room to run over his last three games, so we've seen more of Marion Barber, who is a downhill runner.

We may see more of Barber, too, on Sunday. Overall, the Bears will look to establish the run early and often.

It will be critical for the Bears to get off to an early lead, or else Mad Mike starts to rear his ugly head. Martz is always tempted to get away from the running game, and especially when the Bears are trailing.

The run game should be good this week, as the Chiefs are ranked 26th vs. the run and have allowed 169.7 yards rushing per game (4.3 yards per carry) since Week 10.

Kansas City was successful in holding down RB Rashard Mendenhall last week, however. The Chiefs defense penetrated the line well last week, with five tackles for loss.

ILB Derrick Johnson is a good tackler, so Forté will need to have his blockers seal off Johnson's path to the ball if he's going to be more productive this week.

Advantage: Bears. The two-headed monster of Forté and Barber should have a good day.

Caleb Hanie vs. Chiefs Secondary

There still isn't much data on Hanie as a starter. We've seen enough to know that he is capable of making plays with his legs, but perhaps has a bit too much confidence and needs to limit his mistakes throwing the ball.

Hanie improved as the game went along, however, and with the Chiefs offense having trouble scoring, all he needs to do is to allow the offense to control the tempo by running the ball and refrain from throwing the ball to the Chiefs defenders.

I'm sure that a throwback screen won't be part of the Bears offense this Sunday. Plus, Martz needs to call a better game for Hanie.

Martz called pass plays on 20 of 33 plays in the first half against Oakland, and I expect that to change. Plus, Martz needs to call a running play on a 2nd-and-1 from the Oakland 7 with 35 seconds left in the second half.

Meanwhile, Kansas City's defense against the Steelers was terrific last week. Pittsburgh was limited to 290 total yards—the fewest the Chiefs have allowed all season—and turned the ball over twice. And the Steelers never had a drive longer than nine plays.

Advantage: Chiefs

Chiefs QBs Tyler Palko and Kyle Orton vs. Bears Secondary

Palko had his second straight three-interception game in Sunday's 13-9 loss to the Steelers and could lose the starting job to Kyle Orton this Sunday at Chicago.

The journeyman quarterback, who was once cut by a UFL team, wound up fumbling a snap and throwing two interceptions in a span of three offensive plays. His third interception happened in the closing seconds as Kansas City tried to march downfield for a go-ahead touchdown.

If Orton starts against his old team, it will be a bit of irony, as Orton wanted to come to Chicago after he heard about Jay Cutler's injury and the Bears wanted him, but the claim was awarded to Kansas City.

WR Dwayne Bowe had seven receptions for 69 yards in Sunday's 13-9 loss to the Steelers. He has had back-to-back seven-reception games after reaching that mark once in his first nine games.

But the Bears pass defense, while giving up a lot of yardage, is very opportunistic and will smell blood against either of these two QBs.

Corey Graham, playing the nickle in place of DJ Moore, has three picks in his last three games.

Advantage: Bears

Chiefs RBs Thomas Jones and Jackie Battle vs Bears Run Defense

Ex-Bear Jones rushed for 37 yards on 13 attempts in Sunday's 13-9 loss to the Steelers.  Jones had his most carries since getting 14 in Week 3 against San Diego. On the season, he is averaging just 3.2 yards per carry.

Meanwhile, the team's leading rusher, Jackie Battle, hasn't had double-digit rushing attempts in the past three weeks. On the season, he's averaging 4.4 yards per carry.

Chiefs running backs have only three TDs this season and will be facing a Bears defense ranked sixth against the run over the past five weeks.

Advantage: Bears

Charles Tillman vs Chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe

Bowe, the Chiefs Pro-Bowl receiver, faced a lot of criticism for appearing not to make an effort to catch a pass in the final seconds of a 13-9 loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday night.

While he leads the team in receptions, he has caught just 55 balls out of the 100 times he's been targeted. Of course, with Palko throwing him the ball, that stat is misleading.

Meanwhile, Tillman looked to be on a path to the Pro Bowl himself, at least until his dismal performance against San Diego's Vincent Jackson, who had 165 yards receiving against Tillman. 

But Tillman is a formidable opponent for Bowe, especially with the Chiefs QB situation up in the air.  While the Bears rank 30th against the pass, they are tied for second in interceptions.

Advantage: Bears 

Julius Peppers vs Chiefs OTs Branden Albert and Barry Richardson

The Chiefs have allowed 16 sacks in their past five games. And they are facing a Bears team that recorded four sacks last Sunday against Oakland.

Albert is the LT, but the Chiefs have not been sold on him since he has had the starting position, but have given him the benefit of the doubt since they drafted him with the 15th overall selection in the 2008 NFL Draft.

He is very athletic, but Peppers has the strength to get past him.

And when the Bears move Peppers around, the slow-footed RT Richardson is probably best known for shoving special team coach Steve Hoffman.  

With the release of OT Jared Gaither, the Chiefs have just Steve Maneri as the only backup tackle.

Meanwhile, Peppers had two sacks vs. Oakland and was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month for November.

Peppers had six tackles, four sacks, one tackle for loss, 10 quarterback pressures and three pass break-ups. His four sacks were tied for most in the NFC, and his 33 sack yards led the conference.

Advantage: Bears

Johnny Knox vs Chiefs CB Brandon Carr

Knox is such an enigma. He often flashes that No. 1 wideout ability, but then he reverts back to the WR who doesn't run the right routes or who will not fight for the ball.

While Knox had 145 yards receiving on Sunday, he also dropped at least three balls that were very catchable.

Since Devin Hester seems to have been phased out of the receiving game, Know has been the No. 1 target over the past two weeks.

 Meanwhile, Carr has improved in coverage.

Advantage: Even.