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Bears look to bounce back against Rams

The Bears (1-1) will attempt to rebound from their discouraging Week 2 loss in Green Bay today when they host the improved St. Louis Rams (1-1) at Soldier Field.

The Chicago offense looks to bounce back after mustering just one touchdown, 168 total yards and 11 first downs against the Packers. Jay Cutler threw four interceptions and was sacked seven times while connecting on just 11 of 27 passes for 126 yards with one TD and a 28.2 passer rating.

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Quarterback Jay Cutler and the Bears will host the St. Louis Rams today at Soldier Field.
After catching nine passes for 119 yards and one touchdown in a season-opening win over the Colts, Brandon Marshall was limited to two receptions for 24 yards versus the Packers. He dropped a sure TD pass in the end zone and didn't catch a ball until midway through the fourth quarter.

Pro Bowl running back Matt Forte will miss today's game with an ankle injury he suffered in Green Bay. He'll be replaced by veteran Michael Bush, who has rushed for 96 yards and two TDs on 26 carries in two games this season.

With the Raiders last year, Bush stepped in after Darren McFadden sustained a season-ending injury and rushed for 977 yards and seven touchdowns and caught 37 passes for 418 yards and 1 TD.

Veteran offensive lineman Chilo Rachal will make his first start of the season today, replacing Chris Spencer at left guard. Rachal spent his first four NFL seasons with the 49ers, appearing in 55 games with 38 starts.

The Bears will face an aggressive Rams defense that's led by end Chris Long, middle linebacker James Laurinaitis and cornerback Cortland Finnegan. St. Louis enters today's game with just two sacks, tied for the second fewest in the NFL.

The Bears defense played well in Green Bay, recording five sacks of Aaron Rodgers and two takeaways while allowing only one touchdown, which came after the Packers started their drive at Chicago's 26 following a Cutler interception.

The front four has generated consistent pressure so far this season, registering eight sacks in two games, which is tied for second most in the league. Fourth-year pro Henry Melton leads the team and is tied for second in the NFL with three sacks.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft, Rams quarterback Sam Bradford has played well early, ranking third in the league with a 112.4 passer rating, having completed 71.7 percent of his passes for 508 yards with four TDs and only one interception.

Bradford's favorite target is receiver Danny Amendola, who leads the NFL with 20 catches for 230 yards and 1 TD. Amendola had 15 receptions for 160 yards and one touchdown in a 31-28 win over the Redskins last Sunday in St. Louis.

The Bears will counter with cornerbacks Charles Tillman and Tim Jennings, who have combined to account for four of the team's seven takeaways this season. Jennings is tied for the NFL lead with three interceptions, while Tillman forced and recovered a fumble against the Packers.

Rams star running back Steven Jackson, a three-time Pro Bowler with seven straight 1,000-yard seasons, will be a game-time decision today due to a groin injury. He is listed as questionable on the injury report, meaning there's a 50/50 chance he'll play.

If Jackson is unable to go, he'll likely be replaced by Daryl Richardson, a rookie seventh-round pick from Abilene Christian who rushed for 83 yards on 15 carries against the Redskins.

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