Julius Peppers and Brian Urlacher are ready to maul the Panthers. (photo courtesy of ESPN.com)

This week we will observe one of nature’s great rivalries, Bears (3-1) vs. Panthers(0-4) and break down the key matchups.  It will be a true battle for dominance between a wise old grizzly, Bears QB Todd Collins and a young cub, Panthers QB Jimmy Clausen.  The two will lead their packs into the wild kingdom that is Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.

The Bears have their reputations on the line as a real contender in the NFC, but will be without their alpha male, QB Jay Cutler (concussion).  The Panthers, after losing their first four games, limp into week 5 and will most likely be without their ferocious WR Steve Smith (injured paw).   They will have to rely on two young kittens, WR David Gettis and WR Brandon LaFell, to protect the Panther’s home den.  Let’s take a look at some key matchups that will help decide this week struggle for NFL survival:

(more…)