Seahawks looming: 10 Bears questions marks

SHARE Seahawks looming: 10 Bears questions marks

Sunday will be different for Martellus and Michael Bennett.

They won’t FaceTime before the game, the way they usually do, because they’ll be in nearby locker rooms.

‘It’s going to be weird,” Martellus Bennett said.

While we wonder what they talk about, here are 10 Bears question marks as they prepare for the Seahawks.

1. OK, I’ll bite: What do they talk about?

On game days, football — but also family, pop culture, taxes and even their mortgage.

“These guys both have a big wit,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “They’re very bright. They both have a way of looking at life.”

2. Will Kyle Fuller follow Jimmy Graham again?

Probably not. When the Bears cornerback did last year against the Saints, the tight end catch five balls for 87 yards.

Fuller said the game plan will be different than last year, “depending on how they use him.” Graham is upset after catching only seven balls for his new team.

“I’m sure they’ll figure it out,” Fuller said.

3. Is an unprecedented blowout coming?

Vegas thinks so. The Bears opened as a 14-point underdog, the largest point spread against them since a December 6, 1998, game against the Vikings.

4. How do the Bears tackle Marshawn Lynch?

“We’ve got to get a lot of people there,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. “You know, he’s a hard guy to tackle one-on-one. He’s physical. He’s got some dance ability to him, where he can jump cut and then slap people by, and he can get back outside.”

5. Can Jimmy Clausen run the zone-read option?

He claims yes.

“Just gotta read it right,” the Bears quarterback said. “If the end’s crashing down, you gotta pull it; if the end’s not crashing down, you gotta get it [out].”

6. Who wouldn’t Jeff Rodgers kick to?

Devin Hester, for one.

“In Chicago, I think everybody realized there were points in his career where that was really a bad idea,” the Bears’ special teams coordinator said.

He said there’s a lot that goes into deciding whether to kick deep versus a squib.

“But that’s putting your defense on the 35-, 40-yard line every time,” he said. “It’s hard to tell Vic (Fangio), ‘Hey, we didn’t give up a big return, but you’re starting with the ball at the 40-yard-line every time.”

7. How long has Carroll known Clausen?

Half Clausen’s life. He first saw Clausen throw a football live in ninth or 10th grade, and tried to recruit the Los Angeles-area quarterback to attend USC.

Carroll said he’s “always been an adept thrower” and has had fantastic rhythm.

“This chance for him, if he gets this chance this week, it’s a great one,” the Seahawks coach said.

8. Who is the silent snap count hardest on?

In the cacophonous Century Link Field, the Bears’ offensive line.

“We’re so used to the rhythm of the cadence — whether it be ‘Blue 19! Blue 19!’ and you’re ready when that ‘Set, hut!’ comes,” tackle Kyle Long said.

“The silent count, you have to be looking to see what’s going on pre-snap. You have to look around and see the alignments of the D-ends, the D-tackles. The guys move. It’s not like they have to sit still.”

9. Did Mitch Unrein ever unpack?

No. The Bears’ newest defensive lineman flew on a red eye from San Diego, landing Friday morning and heading to Halas Hall to practice. He hadn’t yet unpacked when it was time for the Bears to leave for Seattle.

10. Will the Bears catch a college game Saturday?

Maybe. Rookie John Timu wants to attend his alma mater’s home game against Cal on Saturday afternoon, but knows that, as a rookie, it’d be wise to bring a veteran along. Shea McClellin thought about going, too, to see his old Boise State coach, Chris Petersen, who now coaches the Washington Huskies.

Follow me on Twitter @patrickfinley

Email: pfinley@suntimes.com

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