Bears-Dolphins Preview

Here's my preview of today's Bears-Dolphins tilt.

Who Has the Edge?

Offense
The Bears' offense got back on track last Sunday against the 49ers, racking up 41 points by halftime before cruising the rest of the way. RB Thomas Jones ran as well as he had all season, Muhsin Muhammad got back into the game plan with a TD, and TE Desmond Clark had a huge game with two TDs. The running game will likely be the key today, as the Dolphins bring the 5th-ranked defense in the NFL (and 4th-ranked pass defense). Establish the run with Jones and a sprinkle of Cedric Benson, and that may open the door for play action and a bomb to Bernard Berrian later. Meanwhile, Dolphins offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey has not done a good job of calling plays to get the ball in the hands of his two best offensive players, RB Ronnie Brown and WR Chris Chambers. Brown hasn't been used nearly as much as he should be, and Chambers has largely been ignored in the offense this season. It's hard to blame them though, especially Chambers, because the ineptitude of his QBs (Daunte Culpepper and Joey Harrington) has also been a big factor in his struggles. Many times, they don't even look Chambers' way, instead deciding to throw short to Wes Welker or TE Randy McMichael. Joey should be good for at least two interceptions today, if not four or five. Edge: Bears

Defense
The Bears' defense also got back on track against San Fran, though they do have a tendency to relax a bit after jumping out to a big lead. Thanks to a 50+ yard run, Niners RB Frank Gore still managed to run for over 100 yards last Sunday, which is irritating at the very least. This unit will give up some rushing yards, but usually not enough to make a big difference. Packers RB Ahman Green ran for over 100 yards in Week 1, but the Bears still shut the Packers out. Also, opposing teams' #1 WRs continue to have some success against the Bears, as San Fran's Antonio Bryant notched a TD last week. Today, this unit should have a field day against Joey Harrington, who threw five picks the last time he faced the Bears last season. The Dolphins bring in the #5-ranked defense in the NFL and pass-rush specialist Jason Taylor, but their run defense is average. They will likely base their game plan around putting big pressure on Rex Grossman, but Grossman has been nearly perfect at home this season, with 11 TD passes and no interceptions. Edge: Bears

Special Teams
Bears kicker Robbie Gould was named Special Teams Player of the Month for October, but rookie sensation Devin Hester popped up on the injury report late in the week with a tight hamstring. Hester is still expected to play today, but the team may be wise to rest him if he isn't needed. Dolphins kicker Olindo Mare has struggled some this season, especially from long-range; he is just 1-5 from 50+ yards out. Special teams ace and slot WR Wes Welker has been average on kickoff and punt returns this year. Edge: Bears

Coaching
After struggling some against Arizona, Bears coach Lovie Smith and his staff had a good game against the Niners. Smith will likely be getting a big raise soon. As coach of one of the NFL's most disappointing teams, Dolphins coach Nick Saban has been the target of a lot of criticism. Offensive coordinator Mularkey has not done a good job of getting the ball into the hands of his best playmakers. Edge: Bears

Intangibles
On a dark Monday Night 21 years ago, Dan Marino and the Dolphins ruined the Bears' perfect season with a 38-24 victory. Today, whether anyone admits it or not, the Bears and their fans will be looking for some measure of revenge. Edge: Bears

Prediction
Even having the entire '72 team on the Miami sideline today won't help the Dolphins beat the Bears. Bears 27, Dolphins 6