The week 9 matchup between the Chicago Bears host the Arizona Cardinals game features two very inconsistent teams that still find themselves above .500 and in the playoff race halfway through the season. It all depends on which teams show up.
Will we see the Cardinals that upset the Giants in week 7 or the Arizona squad that was pushed around by Carolina last week? Which Chicago team will show up? The embarrassment we saw in Cincinnati, the complete team that upset Pittsburgh, or something in between like we saw last week?
Arizona provides a huge challenge for the Bears. The Cardinals dangerous receivers match up perfectly against Chicago's weak pass defense, but will Arizona be able to take advantage? Kurt Warner and Co. haven't looked the same this year. Arizona has the tenth ranked passing offense, but Warner has only 11 touchdowns to go with 11 interceptions (matching Cutler's totals exactly). Danieal Manning is expected to play; he and the defense will look to build on the momentum from their five-turnover outing against Cleveland.
Before week 8, Arizona boasted the top run defense in the league. After giving up 270 yards to the Panthers, they dropped to number eight in that category. Look for the Bears to try to establish the run. It will be interesting to see if the Arizona made the necessary adjustments this week or if Chicago discovered just how this defense can be had from watching Carolina. It may be a moot point; Chicago's offensive line has given no reason to believe they are capable of playing like Carolina's.
This one may turn into a shootout, but for the first time in years the bears feel confident they can win in that situation.
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