The Chicago Bears are entering a must-win game against the Oakland Raiders. Being winless on the season, things could get ugly very quickly should the Bears fall to the Raiders at home. The team is hopeful that the return of several players will push them towards a win on Sunday as Jay Cutler is looking more and more likely to play.
UPDATE: Adam Schefter reports that Jeffery is expected to miss his third straight game with a hamstring injury.
Cutler's original diagnosis was two weeks after he injured his hamstring in Week 2. However, that might not be the case as the quarterback returned to practice and has ruled himself day-to-day with the injury. According to Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune, Cutler is likely to play on Sunday so long as his mobility improves in the next two days. The quarterback told the media that he is simply trying to be cautious about his injury moving forward and that if he feels good, he will play on Sunday.
"If you come back on a hamstring earlier than you want to, it's definitely in the back of your mind because there's that slight pull," Cutler said, via the Tribune. "It's an instinctual game, so you're doing things on the run without thinking. To have to worry about a hamstring and moving around is something that could weigh on you."
According to the Tribune, Cutler and Jimmy Clausen have been splitting reps in practice this week as the team prepares for anything. With the weaknesses of the Raiders secondary, the Bears are expected to pass more than run the ball. Offensive coordinator Adam Gase admitted that he wished he had taken a few more shots to the air against the Seattle Seahawks which is expected to be a big part of the unit on Sunday.
"The one regret I do have," Gase said via Tribune, "is in that second half I wish I would have pulled the trigger maybe a little bit sooner as far as being more aggressive on some of those first- and second-down calls."
Alshon Jeffery is expected to return as well for Week 4 which will give the team their main wide receivers on the field for the first time this year. That will improve the passing game while Martellus Bennett should excel against Oakland's defense which has given up the most yards to tight ends this year. If the Bears fail to get the win, prepare to sound the alarm.
