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ATS Consultants) - A pair of teams looking to maintain a role in the NFC Wild Card race will do battle at FedEx Field on Thursday night, as the Washington Redskins play host to the Chicago Bears to kick off the Week 14 schedule.
Both the Redskins and Bears enter Thursday night at 5-7, just one game out of the final playoff spot in the conference along with fellow 5-7 hopefuls Carolina, New Orleans, and Philadelphia. The Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, and Minnesota Vikings stand at 6-6 heading into Week 14, and Arizona currently holds the tie-breaking edge for the final Wild Card position.
Washington has followed up a 4-2 start by losing five of its last six games, including a 17-16 home setback to Buffalo this past Sunday. That contest was played just five days after the death of Redskins Pro Bowl safety Sean Taylor, who was murdered in his suburban Miami home in an apparent robbery attempt on Nov. 26.
The entire Washington team attended Taylor's funeral on Monday.
Chicago has not experienced nearly the same level of trauma off the field, but can relate to the Redskins' inconsistency between the lines.
Roughly 10 months since they represented the NFC in Super Bowl XLI, the Bears have been among the league's biggest disappointments in 2007, with last Sunday's 21-16 loss to the New York Giants proving emblematic of that wayward campaign. Lovie Smith's club, which surrendered a 16-7 fourth quarter lead in the defeat, came up short in attempt to win back-to-back games for the first time this season.
Chicago is attempting to avoid becoming the sixth Super Bowl runner-up in the past seven seasons to miss the playoffs the year following their trip to the game's ultimate stage.
SERIES HISTORY
The Bears lead the all-time regular season series with Washington, which dates back to 1932, by a 20-17-1 count. The Redskins were 9-7 home winners when the teams last met, in Week 1 of the 2005 season, and also took a 13-10 decision when they last visited Soldier Field in 2004. The Bears last defeated the Redskins in 2003, and last won in the nation's capital in 2001.
The clubs have a storied history against one another in the postseason, with Washington holding a 4-3 playoff edge. The teams met for the NFL Championship four times between 1937 and 1943, with each claiming two crowns. The Bears' 73-0 win in D.C. following the 1940 season has taken on legendary status in NFL annals. Chicago also won a 1984 NFC Divisional Playoff on the road, while Washington came into Soldier Field in 1986 and 1987 and won Divisional Playoff contests.
Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs is 8-3 all-time against the Bears, including a 2-1 record in the aforementioned playoff games. The Bears' Smith is 0-2 against both Washington and Gibbs as a head coach.
WHEN THE BEARS HAVE THE BALL
The Chicago attack went through a transition in last week's loss to the Giants, as running back Adrian Peterson (256 rushing yards, 2 TD, 40 receptions) took over full-time for the injured Cedric Benson, who will miss the rest of the year with a foot injury. Peterson, a longtime special teams stalwart, carried 22 times for 67 yards, also notching game-highs with seven receptions for 82 yards out of the backfield. Peterson's 149 scrimmage yards were the second-most of his career. Quarterback Rex Grossman (1397 passing yards, 4 TD, 7 INT) threw for a season-high 296 yards in the loss, though he was also sacked a bloated six times in the defeat. The Chicago line has now allowed 38 sacks on the year, fifth-most in the league. Tight end Desmond Clark (38 receptions, 3 TD) posted five catches for 76 yards and a touchdown against the Giants. Wideout Bernard Berrian (57 receptions, 3 TD) continues to lead the Bears in receptions and receiving yards (792). The Bears are 14th in NFL passing offense (217.2 yards per game), 31st in rushing offense (83.8 yards per game), and last in yards per carry (3.2).
The Redskins have lost their last two games despite giving up just one touchdown over a span of eight quarters, that coming in the first quarter of the team's 19-13 loss at Tampa Bay in Week 12. Still, not all has been perfect for a Washington team that has struggled in the secondary in the absence of Taylor (who was out due to injury prior to his untimely death), and a back injury that has hampered top cornerback Shawn Springs (47 tackles). Springs is listed as questionable for Sunday. A Redskins pass rush led by end Andre Carter (41 tackles, 8 sacks) has 26 sacks on the year, but did not sack Buffalo rookie Trent Edwards at all last week. Washington is 10th in the NFL against the rush as Week 14 begins, with linebackers London Fletcher (100 tackles, 3 INT) and Rocky McIntosh (81 tackles, 3 sacks) ranking as the team's most capable tacklers. Fletcher is the only active member of the Redskins who has an interception this year.
REDSKINS OFFENSE VS. BEARS DEFENSE
The Redskins enter Thursday's game ranked 15th in NFL passing offense (209.1 yards per game) and ninth in the league in rushing offense (120.9 yards per game), though the passing game led by quarterback Jason Campbell (2600 passing yards, 12 TD, 11 INT) has begun to pick up steam in recent weeks. Campbell followed up back-to-back 300-yard passing days with a 216-yard performance in last Sunday's loss to Buffalo. Tight end Chris Cooley (53 receptions, 7 TD) contributed seven catches for 89 yards to the proceedings, while wideout Santana Moss (43 receptions, 1 TD) logged five catches for 63 yards in the game. Cooley took over the team lead in receiving yards (584) from Antwaan Randle El (39 receptions), who missed the tilt with a hamstring injury and is considered questionable for this week. Running back Clinton Portis (920 rushing yards, 7 TD, 32 receptions) was held to 50 yards on 25 carries last Sunday, though he did score the team's only touchdown on a three-yard run in the third quarter. Portis needs 80 yards on the ground to cross 1,000 for the fifth time in his six-year NFL career.
The most confounding element of the Bears' disappointing season has been the work of a once-strong defense that currently ranks 25th in NFL passing defense (225.1 yards per game) and 27th against the run (130.8 yards per game). It was the latter that helped do Chicago in against the Giants last week, as three New York running backs combined for 181 yards on 35 carries in the contest. Linebackers Brian Urlacher (96 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 INT) and Lance Briggs (83 tackles, 2 sacks), who combined for 24 tackles last Sunday, have played reasonably well, but the front four and secondary have both experienced tackling problems. The strength of the Bears defense has been a pass rush that has generated 34 sacks, including a team-best nine from end Adewale Ogunleye (46 tackles) and seven from tackle Tommie Harris (29 tackles). Ogunleye forced a pair of fumbles and had a recovery against the Giants. Chicago has intercepted just nine passes on the year, tied for third-worst in the league.
FANTASY FOCUS
The only sure-fire starter in this game is Redskins tight end Cooley, who has been among the most reliable tight ends in the league. The weakness of the Chicago defense should make those on the fence about starting other Skins such as Campbell, Portis, or Moss less hesitant about placing them in the lineup. Washington kicker Suisham is a decent play, but a Redskins defense that makes few plays is not. On the Chicago side there are few reliable options, though the number of touches Peterson received last week makes him a worthy start. Grossman, Berrian, and Clark will also get you some points.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
It is difficult to know what type of impact Taylor's death had on the Redskins' loss to Buffalo last week, though it is indisputable that Gibbs' team did not play its best game. Even amid the turmoil, this is still a team with a great deal of pride, and it is hard to imagine a Gibbs-coached team simply retreating into a shell and conceding the rest of its season. For that reason, look for renewed enthusiasm from Washington, which has more talent than Chicago and has the benefit of homefield advantage.