Gregg Rosenthal watches as much Game Rewind as possible each week. It's never enough, but he uses the information each Friday to preview upcoming games.
The Seattle Seahawks only have one road win all season, and it came against the Carolina Panthers. An upset win over the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field would make the Sehawks the favorite for the No. 6 playoff seed in the NFC and also show they could have staying power even if their starting cornerbacks are suspended.
Despite a discouraging loss to the Miami Dolphins last week, the Seahawks are primed for an upset over the Bears on Sunday.
Matchup nightmare
The Bears struggle against complicated fronts that require communication on the offensive line. It doesn't get any more "multiple" and dangerous than it does against the Seahawks' defense. The Bears' top three guards from two weeks ago -- Chilo Rachal, Chris Spencer and Lance Louis -- are out. Rachal quit the team, then was banished. Louis is out for the season. Spencer is out this week.
Chicago's line struggles to protect even when conditions are perfect. They will have a hard time dealing with Seattle, which ranks as ProFootballFocus' top pass rush in the NFL. The Seahawks create problems from a variety of spots, whether it's Chris Clemons, Bruce Irvin, Jason Jones or even a blitz from linebacker Bobby Wagner. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is great at finding a weakness and exploiting it.
Brandon Marshall stopper
Bears quarterback Jay Cutler won't have much time to pass because of the problem listed above. The Bears have a one-dimensional passing game, and the Seahawks have the players (Richard Sherman, Brandon Browner) to take away that dimension. This is the rare cornerback group that can match Marshall's physicality.
Lynch needs to bounce back
The Dolphins did a fantastic job shutting down Marshawn Lynch's running lanes last week. The Seahawks can't survive if that happens again. Their passing attack relies on the vertical throw as a higher percentage of their offense than any other NFL team. The Bears' defense excels at stopping big plays. They need Lynch to sustain offense or there will be a lot of three-and-outs.
We believe the Seahawks will pull off the upset in a defensive battle.
Here are some thoughts on the other big matchups for Week 13.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Denver Broncos
It's hard to see the Bucs' secondary surviving in this game. Just two NFL teams have given up more big plays, and Peyton Manning is tied for the NFL lead in plays over 20 yards. The Bucs' secondary is talent poor after trading Aqib Talib and losing Eric Wright to suspension. Leonard Johnson, E.J. Biggers and Da'Quan Lewis might be the worst top-three cornerback trio in the league. It's also a small group; they really will struggle to handle Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker.
The Bucs can only stay in this game by passing. Josh Freeman has enjoyed excellent protection overall despite all the injuries in front of him. He makes a handful of gorgeous throws every week. He throws great "jump balls" to Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams and trusts his wideouts. But Freeman's accuracy also can be erratic. A handful of wide-open missed throws (and reads) cost him against the Atlanta Falcons. His margin for error will be slim against the Broncos because the Bucs might have to score 30 to win.
Cincinnati Bengals vs. San Diego Chargers
We know the schedule has been kind lately, but the Bengals are a different team than they were in September. You know the team is busting open holes in the running game when BenJarvus Green-Ellis is breaking big plays. Fullback Chris Pressley is hammering people. Losing Mohamed Sanu to injury for the season is massive because he gave them another dynamic red-zone threat.
Still, this Bengals team is dangerous because of its line play on both sides of the ball and because of its defense. Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer is very creative at mixing pressure. His secondary -- especially Adam Jones and Terence Newman -- is better than we expected. Jones quietly has enjoyed a strong season at cornerback and as a return man. Defensive tackle Geno Atkins should be a first-team All-Pro. It's hard to imagine the Chargers' offensive line handling him or the rest of the Bengals' pass rush.
Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.
