Match Info: Date: 27-09-2015, Time: 4:25 am, Watch Live on Fox
The Bears are also going into the game with Jimmy Clausen at quarterback, replacing Jay Cutler (hamstring). Chicago fans might be happy to see Cutler out of the lineup, but Clausen might not be the replacement they had in mind. He's 1-10 as an NFL starter, most of which came in his rookie season when he was thrown into the Carolina Panthers' lineup long before he was ready. He threw three touchdown passes in 299 attempts, was intercepted nine times and sacked 33 times.
He then went three years without throwing a pass, before seeing minimal duty in relief of Cutler last year. He was forced into the starting lineup in December against the Detroit Lions -- one of the toughest defenses in the league -- and wasn't terrible, going 23-of-39 for 181 yards and two touchdowns against one interception. He was given a conservative playbook, and did a nice job handling the short-passing game.
That will almost certainly be the plan again Sunday, but Chicago's hapless defense might force Clausen to do more than he wants. The Bears lost, 48-23, last weekend to the Arizona Cardinals, and if they can't stop Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch, Clausen will have to attack Chancellor, Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas. That doesn't promise to end well, especially with the Seattle crowd at full roar.
Chicago's defense is still looking for its first sack, and if the Bears want to have any chance at a win, it will have to take a major step forward. Lynch has failed to put up a big game yet, but if he gets going -- the Bears are ranked 22nd in run defense -- and Chicago can't put any pressure on Wilson, this going to turn into the blowout that everyone expects.
