The Bears Den: October 17, 2014 - Chicago Bears week 7 news & notes

Reggie Herring rights the ship at linebacker - Adam L. Jahns: No position defines the Bears more than linebacker, but the Bears can’t be the Monsters of the Midway if they don’t have any monsters to show some teeth in the middle of the defense. That’s why Herring is here.

We still don’t know which Jay Cutler, Bears will show up - Rick Telander: Will the Bears keep lurching forward and backward like a man slip-sliding up and down a muddy hill?

Follow WCG on Twitter; like us on Facebook (& click on 'Subscribed to'). Check out David "OSS" Taylor's CheekyMonkeyArt prints and t-shirts. Den pic in hi-res.

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Previewing Bears-Dolphins

[Video] ChicagoBears.com - Trailer for the Bears match-up with the Dolphins at Soldier Field.

Game preview - Michael C. Wright, James Walker: Having played 4 of 6 on the road, the Bears finally return home to Soldier Field to host the Dolphins, a team reeling from a last-second heartbreaker.

[Video] ChicagoBears.com - Jeff Joniak previews his four Keys to the Game for this Sunday's match-up with the Miami Dolphins.

Game preview - Dan Wiederer looks ahead to Sunday's game: Bears should be in attack mode vs Ryan Tannehill.

Game preview - Steve Rosenbloom: Marc Trestman has a chance to break out some previously unseen parts of the playbook, as the Bears will need to surprise a Dolphins defense that practices only against what it sees on tape.

Bears will look to limit hits on Cutler - Larry Mayer: The Bears always place a premium on protecting Jay Cutler. But that objective will take on added significance in Sunday’s game against the Dolphins.

Bears bracing for hits on Cutler - Michael C. Wright: The Bears know they need to protect Jay Cutler against a physical Miami defensive front that is legitimately seven or eight deep. Rich Campbell: Cutler playing well despite big hits.

[Video] Can Jay Cutler continue a win streak? - Is-Hub Arkush, Not-Hub Fishbain break down the offense and discuss keys to winning the game

Know thy enemy - Mini-Larry: Even with an improved running attack, the Dolphins can't seem to find consistent play from Ryan Tannehill or their offense as a whole.

Team notes - Not-Hub Arkush: Protecting Jay Cutler top objective against dangerous Miami 'D'; Bears could continue to give Matt Forte Wednesday off as a rest day; injury updates.

Team notes - Patrick Finley: Jermon Bushrod, Jordan Mills return to Bears practice; Brock Vereen in safety rotation, could be in line to start if Chris Conte is out; more injury notes.

Injury news - Jeff Dickerson: O-line reunited at practice; Lance Briggs, Chris Conte sit out; more notes from practice. Rich Campbell: Taylor Boggs waived off IR with injury settlement.

[Video] - Moon Mullin and potential future Mrs Spongie Jen Lada talk reunion of O-line, facing the Dolphins' pass rush, and how important Matt Forte is to the offense.

Photos - ChicagoBears.com with photos from practice this week at Halas Hall as the team prepares for Sunday's game against the Dolphins.

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Bearsss

Forte excelling at 'touch' football - Rich Campbell: The Bears need Matt Forte's contributions to win but also must keep him fit enough to contribute; his maintenance routine is evolving to account for all the touches he's getting this season.

Matt Forte’s ‘goal’ — make it to the Hall of Fame - Patrick Finley: Matt Forte realizes that achieving the sport’s highest individual honor will take years. To get there, he knows he has years and years of car crashes ahead of him.

Forte may be on path to Hall of Fame - Bob LeGere: As Matt Forte continues to move up the all-time charts in almost every meaningful RB category, it's inevitable that his Hall of Fame credentials will be discussed with increasing frequency. Moon Mullin: ....but all seven RBs in 7k-3k club have at least 12k yards on the ground.

Mel Tucker: Fans deserve to see winning football - Michael C. Wright: Chicago currently ranks No. 3 in the NFL in takeaways (12), and Ryan Tannehill, since 2012, has thrown two or more interceptions in nine games.

[Video] SportsTalk Live - Is Chicago's defense for real? [KAPCON: 5]

Sharpton stepping in and stepping up - Larry Mayer: Less than three weeks after joining his third NFL team this year, linebacker Darryl Sharpton made the most of a rare opportunity in last Sunday's win in Atlanta.

Team notes - Bob LeGere: Jay Cutler thrives after getting pounded; Aaron Kromer not anticipating switching from Jordan Mills any time soon; injury and roster news.

Team notes - Adam Hoge: Matt Forte says his hands have improved, sometimes thinks about the Hall of Fame; practice and injury notes.

X&Os - Dan Durkin: It’s so obvious who[m - Den] the Bears are going to throw the ball to, how is Trestman able to continually find ways to get the ball into the hands of these four players? A breakdown of the Bears' use of trips bunch verticals. Matt Bowen: Expect more of the same against Dolphins.

X&Os - Matt Bowen breaks down the Bears' trap scheme in the red zone that led to Matt Forte's second TD.  See what Lester had to say about it.

McNabb: Cutler the 'Tony Romo of the Midwest' - Scott Krinch: Six-time Pro Bowler Donovan McNabb bashes Jay Cutler for lack of success in the postseason. James Neveau: McNabb throwing stones in a glass house ... John Breech: Only a matter of time before McNabb starts calling Andy Dalton 'Red Romo'.

[Video] SportsTalk Live - Is Cutler the 'Tony Romo of the Midwest?' [KAPCON: 5, but annoying guy from Yahoo does some shouting]

Who needs more help from above: Chicago or Seattle? - Adam Schein: Thus far, the Bears have been as up-and-down as their 3-3 record suggests, but I believe they will eventually leapfrog Detroit in the standings.

[Video] ChicagoBears.com - Ego Ferguson answers three off-the-field questions for this week's edition of 3 And Out.

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Polish sausage

Know thy enemy: Packers - Rob Demovsky and David Newton discuss the Panthers-Packers matchup ... Packers must prep for Panthers' read-option.

Know thy enemy: Lions - Michael Rothstein and Mike Triplett look ahead to the clash of two dome teams. Chris Burke: Lions eye return to playoffs behind league-best defense.

Know thy enemy: Vikings - Ben Goessling and Mike Rodak: Sunday's Vikings-Bills game will provide an opportunity for both teams to try to halt the losing and turn things around ... Vikings running game still a work in progress without AP.

Facepalm - Jets' official hype video sadly ruined by typo.

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Best thing about Fifa '09?  One of the goal celebrations you could use was the Robot.  Also, Mark Twain is not Nietzsche.