It's all up to Bears' defense now

Jay Cutler and Matt Forte remain out.

Devin Hester has a bad ankle.

The offensive line is without two of its opening-day starters and is using a guard at right tackle with disastrous results as of late.

The entire team has been sucker-punched by the federal drug charges against wide receiver/special teams standout Sam Hurd.

Forte's replacement, Marion Barber, has made enough critical mistakes in the past two games to last a season.

Cutler's replacement, Caleb Hanie, has yet to demonstrate any proficiency at the NFL level.

So it is not the offense that has the ability to halt the three-game losing streak that has the Bears (7-6) on the verge of elimination from the playoff picture.

No one expects that the offense will be appreciably better than it has been the past two weeks, when it averaged a pathetic 213 yards of total offense and a total of 13 points.

If there is any chance of turning around the Bears' fortunes, which were so bright four weeks ago, it rests with the defense.

The Bears have allowed just 23 points in the past two games, but that hasn't been good enough. So Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks (6-7), who have won four of their last five games, the Bears' defense must do more.

Six-time Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs knows what that means.

“Playing better means finding ways to win,” he said. “Not giving up late touchdowns or letting the other team drive down the field 90 yards. It's all part of these next three games and giving ourselves a chance to get into the playoffs.”

The Denver Broncos drove 63 yards late in the fourth quarter last week to cut the Bears' lead to 10-7, but a week earlier the defense allowed the offensively challenged Kansas City Chiefs to go 87 yards in 16 plays for the only points they needed in a 10-3 victory.

“We're in a position now where we have to win these last three games, period, just to have a chance,” Briggs said.

The only way that happens is with superior defense. The Seahawks, even on their current hot streak, give the Bears' defense the best opportunity for dominance over the final three games.

Marshawn Lynch is the focal point of the Seattle offense, and he has been in beast mode recently, averaging 25 carries and 117.7 yards a game the past six weeks, the most in the NFL.

Lynch has gone over 100 yards in five of his last six games and has scored a touchdown in nine straight.

But the Seahawks still rank in the bottom 10 in the league in points, total yards, rushing yards, average gain per rush, passing yards, average gain per pass, interceptions, sacks and third-down efficiency.

The Bears' defense has proved over the past eight games that it can stop the run, allowing just 80.5 yards per game.

Overall the Bears are No. 10 in rushing yards allowed, and they've done well against Lynch recently.

He had just 44 yards on 17 carries in the Seahawks' 23-20 victory over the Bears last season. In the rematch, a divisional-round playoff game on Jan. 16, the Bears jumped ahead 21-0 and Lynch carried just four times for 2 yards in the Bears' 35-23 victory.

Still, the Bears' defense remains focused on Lynch.

“They're really running the ball well,” said Bears defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli. “The back (Lynch) is playing extremely hard and he's very physical, which sets up their play-action pass. It's all starting in their run game. That's what they've gotten better at.”

But the Bears have gotten better at stopping the run. Before allowing the Broncos 124 yards on the ground last week (only 75 not counting 49 by Tim Tebow), they had given up an average of just 74.3 per game.

“We've done a pretty good job,” linebacker Brian Urlacher said. “Last week they had some yards on us, but we've been pretty sound in our run fits the last few weeks, so we just get in our gaps and get a lot of guys to the football and tackle (Lynch).

“He breaks tackles and makes guys miss. So we get a lot of guys on him and try to get him to the ground.”

That's the only chance the Bears have to keep their playoff hopes above ground.

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