Panthers' RBs will keep Bears' defense busy

The Carolina Panthers being without wide receiver Steve Smith, the Pro Bowler who almost single-handedly destroyed them in a 2005 divisional-round playoff victory, doesn't mean the Bears' defense won't have concerns today.

The Panthers could have one of the league's best running back combinations.

"We're going to face a couple of good tandems throughout the year," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "You would definitely have to say this is one of them. It'll be a good challenge for our defense to try to shut down this offense."

DeAngelo Williams, the Panthers' first-round draft pick in 2006, averaged 5.0 yards per carry last season, sixth best in the NFL among players with more than 120 carries. He picked up 86 yards on 18 carries last week.

This year's first-rounder, Jonathan Stewart, a powerful 5-feet-10 and 235 pounds, averaged 5.3 yards on 10 carries in his NFL debut last week.

"One will run you over," said Bears defensive end Adewale Ogunleye of Stewart. "One guy (Williams) wants to run away from you. But the thing about them is they don't give up, neither of them. They both run hard."

Williams is more likely to attack the perimeter, while Stewart is more effective between the tackles. Either can make the Bears look bad. But the defense comes in confident after controlling Indianapolis last week, and it can make the Panthers look bad, too.

"One's shifty (Williams), and one's not (Stewart)," said Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris. "The challenge is: Don't run in my lane. That's all this game's about. The running back picks who's going to be the star this week in our defense, depending on what alley he runs down. And hopefully (No.) 91's alley (Harris') is not the alley he wants to run down."

Not having to worry about Smith, who caught 12 passes for 218 yards and 2 touchdowns in Carolina's 29-21 playoff victory three seasons ago, should help the Bears shut down the running lanes.

"They would be a better football team with him," Lovie Smith admitted. "Steve Smith's one of the best players in the league. Of course, you can win without him. They did last week against a good San Diego team."

Last year Smith caught 87 passes for 1,002 yards, his fourth season with more than 80 catches and 1,000 yards. But he was suspended by the team for the first two games after punching teammate Ken Lucas in the face during a training-camp fight.

"I can't lie and say that we're not happy that he's not playing," Bears cornerback Nate Vasher said. "He's a great player, but we've got to just worry about the guys that are out there."

Tight end Dante Rosario had 7 catches for 96 yards last week, including the game-winning touchdown against the Chargers as time expired in San Diego. Wide receivers Muhsin Muhammad and D.J. Hackett combined for 11 catches and 104 yards.

But it's still the run game that will get most of the Bears' attention.

"The team is different without Steve Smith," Harris said. "That's the heart and soul of that offense, but those running backs have really stepped it up, and that's what we've really got to stop this week."

With Smith and veteran quarterback Jake Delhomme, who is healthy after missing 13 games last season and having elbow surgery, the Panthers have a more dangerous passing game than the Bears when at full strength.

But for now the offenses are similar.

"I think we'll know what they're doing and they'll know what we're doing," Lovie Smith said. "They try to win football games similar to the way we do.

"So you have to like what they're doing because that's what we believe in. We believe strongly in a running game to set everything up. They do the same thing."

Whoever does it better today has the best chance of staying undefeated.