NFL Week 13 Predictions: Run Game Is Key to Success for Caleb Hanie and Bears

When the Chiefs and Bears take the field for a noon kickoff at Solider Field on Sunday, it will be a game of "guess the quarterback." But if they play their cards right, the Bears will have the better backup.

While Kyle Pelko is the starter for the Chiefs, early poor play will undoubtedly lead to an appearance by former Bears QB Kyle Orton. But  Orton has never started a game for KC.

The Bears will trot out their own backup QB for Sunday's contest, Caleb Hanie. But unlike the Chiefs, the Bears have a promising running game that should help Hanie.

The Chiefs boast good receivers, but have scored just one touchdown over the last four games. The Bears, meanwhile, need to help Hanie with heavy doses of Matt Forte and Marion Barber.

The contrasting running styles of the two Bears backs should offer valuable assets for Chicago. Forte's cuts and Barber's powerful downhill running should ensure success for the Bears on Sunday.

If Forte's style isn't working, or the run-block doesn't open holes, enter Barber, who showed last week that he is more than capable of handling the load.

Meanwhile, more run plays means less opportunities for Hanie to throw picks. The two interceptions he tossed in the first quarter against Oakland pretty much sealed the win for the Raiders.

Effective running will open up the occasional pass play for Hanie, and avoid having to rely on the backup trying to win games by himself. Third and short situations will benefit Hanie a great deal.

The Chiefs, however, will likely employ an eighth man in the box to try and contain the Bears' rushing attack, daring Hanie to beat them through the air.

To counter this strategy, the Bears will try to get to the second level of the Chiefs' defense away from the strong safety.

The Bears' blocking scheme will likely benefit Barber, as he will plow through the line without hesitation, unlike Forte, who will look to juke and jive a bit. In a Counter OF scheme, Barber's style works best.

I expect to see 30 touches between Forte and Barber on Sunday, and if that happens, and the Bears can control the line of scrimmage, they should win the time of possession battle and easily win the game.

The key will be to stop Mike Martz from his tendency to throw the ball and import gadget plays into the offense.

I'm guessing that we won't see a reverse screen from Hanie on Sunday.

By the way, if you are a Bears fan looking to improve your knowledge of the technical aspects of the game, you should check out Matt Bowen. He can be found on nationalfootballpost.com, the Chicago Tribune and on Twitter @MattBowen41.