Three days after their disappointing loss to the Green Bay Packers, the Bears return to the practice field Wednesday to prepare for Sunday's road game against the Carolina Panthers.
The Bears (2-2) have won their first two road games this season for the first time since 2006, when they reached the Super Bowl. The Panthers (2-2) opened 2-0 by beating the Buccaneers and Lions before losing to the Steelers and Ravens the past two weeks.
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| Kyle Long has rushed for an average of 133 yards in four career games against the Carolina Panthers. |
The Bears won the last contest 23-22 on Oct. 28, 2012 at Soldier Field on Robbie Gould's 41-yard field goal as time expired. Chicago trailed 19-7 entering the fourth quarter but rallied to score two touchdowns in an :08 span on Jay Cutler's 12-yard pass to Kellen Davis and Tim Jennings' 25-yard interception return of a Cam Newton pass intended for Steve Smith.
In three career games against the Panthers, Cutler has completed 49 of 78 passes for 460 yards with two touchdowns, three interceptions and a 71.5 passer rating.
Cutler enters Week 5 tied for second in the NFL with 10 TD passes, third with 102 completions, ninth with 1,006 yards and 13th with a 94.7 passer rating.
In four career contests against the Panthers, Matt Forte has rushed for 533 yards and four TDs on 85 carries. In the last meeting between the teams in Carolina on Oct, 10, 2010, Forte ran for 101 of his 166 yards on four first-quarter carries to lead the Bears to a 23-6 victory.
Forte will enter Sunday's game at Bank of America Stadium needing 76 yards to become the 58th player in NFL history to rush for at least 7,000 yards.
ChicagoBears.com will provide all the latest news throughout the week from Halas Hall. Coach Marc Trestman will address the media Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Linebacker Lance Briggs, defensive coordinator Mel Tucker and special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis will be available Wednesday, while Cutler, Forte and offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer will speak Thursday.
