Palmer, Raiders’ offense will test Bears
Even as well as Raiders quarterback Carson Palmer has played the past two weeks, it’s the Oakland running game that concerns the Bears the most.
“They’re a good offense, No. 1,” Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher said. “Especially now with Carson throwing the ball. They’re powerful. Their offensive line blocks well.
“Michael Bush is a big guy, (Darren) McFadden is a big guy, but he’s (also) a fast guy. They’ve got speed everywhere. There’s no doubt about that. It’s a big challenge for us, with the physicality of their offense.”
McFadden, who has been sidelined with a foot injury, isn’t expected to play against the Bears, but their run game still is No. 3 in yards and No. 6 in average gain per run with Bush carrying the load.
The Bears’ defense is 10th in rushing yards allowed but 29th in average gain allowed per run.
The Bears have held their last three opponents to 80 yards or fewer on the ground, but they haven’t been tested as much as they will be Sunday.
“It challenges you to just be sound in gap control and be disciplined,” Bears coach Lovie Smith said. “They have a good offensive line, a big, solid offensive line, and good running backs of course.
“McFadden is as good as there is in the league, but they haven’t really missed a beat with Michael Bush. We have to be disciplined and make sure that everyone is in their gap and just be ready to tackle and put on your big-boy pads.”
In addition to their physicality in the run game, the Raiders also have exceptional speed in the passing game with Palmer throwing to Darius Heyward-Bey and Jacoby Ford, both excellent deep threats.
After a slow start that included 6 interceptions in his first two starts, both losses, Palmer appears to have knocked off any rust that accumulated while he was sitting out the first six weeks of the season.
In his last two games, both victories, the nine-year veteran’s passer ratings have been 125.0 and 107.9.
“He’s been in this (Raiders) offense in Cincinnati (for his first eight years),” Bears defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli said. “He’s a veteran quarterback.
“You can see the leadership he has, and he has a great deep ball. He can really throw the ball well down the field, and that’s what they want to do. They want to run it and throw it down the field.”
Palmer established himself as a quality quarterback with a legitimate longball arm in eight seasons with the Bengals.
“Carson is the same guy he’s been most of the time he’s been in the league, one of the best quarterbacks in the game,” Smith said. “He can make all of the throws.
“It’s not his first time to the rodeo; he’s a great leader. I’ve always been a fan of his. I thought it was a great move for the Raiders to have an opportunity to pick him up.”
It cost the Raiders a first-round draft pick to pry him away from the Bengals, who retained his rights even after Palmer said he would retire rather than play in Cincinnati this season.
If the Raiders win a playoff game this season, the compensation jumps to two first-round draft picks.
“He knows what defense you’re in,” Urlacher said of Palmer. “He knows where to go with the football. The last couple of games he’s played better. His first couple of games a little rough.”
One of the major reasons for Palmer’s recent success has been the play of second-year offensive left tackle Jared Veldheer, who held Minnesota Vikings pass-rush terror Jared Allen without a sack last week.
The 6-foot-8, 315-pound Veldheer played at Hillsdale College in Grand Rapids, Mich., but the step up in class hasn’t been a problem for him.
“Where they played doesn’t really mean an awful lot,” Smith said. “That’s what you find out in the NFL. But to hold a great player (Allen) like that down is saying quite a bit.”
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