For Bears, it doesn't get any easier with Westbrook

The last thing the Bears' beleaguered run defense needs is a date with Brian Westbrook.But that's what they'll get Sunday in Philadelphia when they face the Eagles. The Bears are No. 26 in run defense, and their prospects for improvement don't appear encouraging.Only two running backs in the NFC have a higher average yards per carry than Westbrook's 5.8, and both of them -- Minnesota's Adrian Peterson and Dallas' Marion Barber -- already have trampled the Bears.Peterson got 224 rushing yards Sunday, more than any runner has ever piled up against a Bears team, and he averaged 11.2 yards per carry. Barber was "held" to 102 yards in Week 3, but he needed just 15 carries to get there, averaging 6.98 yards."Adrian Peterson was a long time ago," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "Just concentrating on Westbrook is in itself a chore. He's a great back. And it starts with that."Westbrook also is the Eagles' leading receiver with 25 catches and second in receiving yards with 259. Utilizing his glass-is-always-half-full philosophy, Smith pointed out that the challenge of facing and containing a player of Westbrook's caliber can provide redemption for a defense that desperately needs it."When you don't play as well as you know you can play, you want to get back out there and play against a good back," Smith said. "We're getting our wish this week because we'll have the same challenges (as last week)."He can do it all. Great hands, he can make you miss, he can run with power. So we'll see if we have a great week of practice and we've fixed some of these problems we've had."Those problems include but aren't limited to missed tackles, lack of effort and missed gap assignments. All will be just as important against the shifty Westbrook as they were against Peterson."He's great in the open field," said Bears defensive tackle Darwin Walker, who was teammates with Westbrook the past five years. "You've got to get to him and get him down fast and not let him get in the open field. That's when he makes a lot of (big) plays, out in the open field or out in the flat."Walker, who has been limited at practice this week with a sprained knee, said it's a mistake to underestimate Westbrook's toughness because he's only 5-feet-10 and 203 pounds."Westbrook is more of a shifty back," Walker said. "He can make you miss, that's for sure. And every now and then he can drop his pads, and he'll run you over, too. He's got a big heart."Westbrook is fifth in the NFL in combined rushing and receiving yards with 670, including 411 on the ground on 71 carries. He had 1,916 combined yards last season, the third-highest mark in Eagles history."He's just a combination of everything," Bears defensive end Adewale Ogunleye said. "Great running back, he's fast, he's the leading receiver, so he's basically (quarterback) Donovan McNabb's safety valve. He does a lot of good protection blocks, too, so he's an all-around back. He gets that offense going."He's just as good in the open field, maybe even better than (the Vikings') Adrian Peterson, and that's scary. They're going to give him the ball in the run game, and they're going to get him in the open field on the pass, so if we're not on our 'A' game, he's the kind of guy that can rack up a lot of yards."The Bears' defense already has seen too much of that this season.