Tough task: Bears must contain RB Rice, get by LB Lewis
There are two Baltimore Ravens who especially concern the Bears this afternoon.
One has had an unprecedented run at the top of his profession for 14 years, while the other has emerged this season as a major force.
The old-timer is linebacker Ray Lewis, who remains one of the most feared players in the NFL and, at age 34, is the seventh-leading tackler in the NFL this year.
"Any team that has Ray Lewis on it is a pretty good defense," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "It's going to be a big challenge for us. They're in the playoff hunt. We're playing a physical football team. We would like to say and think we're a physical football team also."
The Bears (5-8) would also like to say they're in the playoff hunt, but they're not. The Ravens (7-6) are in the thick of it, tied with the Dolphins and Jets for the sixth and last playoff spot in the AFC, with the Jaguars a half-game back and the Steelers, Titans and Texans a game back.
As he has since 1996, Lewis leads a defense that is one of the best in the NFL: No. 3 in points and No. 8 in yards allowed this year.
But the Ravens' defense isn't even what strikes Smith first.
"As you start watching the Ravens," Smith said, "the first thing that comes to mind is the year that Ray Rice is having, running the football, catching the football, breaking tackles. That game he had last week was pretty impressive."
In a 48-3 pounding of the Lions, Rice, a second-round pick last year, had 219 total yards, rushing for a career-best 166 yards on just 13 carries (12.8 yards per attempt). He has 1,041 rushing yards for the season, ninth in the NFL, with a 5.4-yard average, which is the second highest among players with 500 or more yards. Rice leads the Ravens and all NFL running backs with 68 receptions for 652 yards.
"He's a great talent," said Bears defensive end Adewale Ogunleye. "His footwork reminds me of (the Rams') Steven Jackson, but he's able to catch the ball like LaDainian (Tomlinson) out of the backfield. To put him in that category is saying a lot for him.
"He's very versatile. When the quarterback dumps the ball off to the running back, he's kind of their No.1 guy, so on the check-downs he can hurt us if we're not running to the ball."
Lewis has been hurting anyone carrying the football and not wearing a Ravens jersey for a long time.
"Everyone gets older, but he's still one of the best in the game," Smith said. "He's playing with energy. It seems like he's having fun playing it. Ray Lewis is Ray Lewis. He's one of the guys you know you have to have a plan for every time you play the Ravens."
The Ravens' other defender who must be accounted for on every play is free safety Ed Reed, who has missed the past two games with foot and groin injuries. Reed didn't practice all week but is still listed as questionable. If Reed can't go, Buffalo Grove's Tom Zbikowski will get his third straight start.
The second-year Notre Dame product has gotten some veteran advice from Lewis.
"Forget trying to replace Ed Reed. 'Just be you.' I tell him that," Lewis said. "The way Zbikowski's played the last two weeks, outside of one error here or there - and we all make them - I just think he's played very, very solid football while Ed has been missing."
Zbikowski grew up as a Bears fan, but he says he couldn't imagine a better situation than the one he's in.
"To have somebody in front of me - in my opinion he's the best safety to ever play the game - watching and listening to him has helped me tremendously," Zbikowski said of Reed. "I don't think I'd be where I'm at in my career if I was playing somewhere else."