Broncos-Bears Capsule

By foxsports
Published

DENVER (7-2) at CHICAGO (4-5)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

OPENING LINE - Bears by 5 1/2

RECORD VS. SPREAD - Broncos 5-4, Bears 5-4

SERIES RECORD - Series tied 7-7

LAST MEETING - Broncos beat Bears 13-10, OT, Dec. 11, 2011

LAST WEEK - Broncos lost to 29-13 to Chiefs; Bears beat Rams 37-13

AP PRO32 RANKING - Broncos No. 6, Bears No. 18

BRONCOS OFFENSE - OVERALL (28), RUSH (29), PASS (18).

BRONCOS DEFENSE - OVERALL (1), RUSH (7), PASS (1).

BEARS OFFENSE - OVERALL (16T), RUSH (14), PASS (21).

BEARS DEFENSE - OVERALL (8), RUSH (26), PASS (4).

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Denver QB Peyton Manning will miss game after getting benched last week while trying to play through foot, rib and shoulder injuries. Manning broke Brett Favre's record for career yards passing, but had almost as many interceptions (four) as completions (five). He was lifted for backup Brock Osweiler. ... Osweiler, who turns 25 on Sunday, will make first career start. ... TE Vernon Davis has 443 career receptions. ... LB Von Miller has five sacks, four in past six games. ... DE DeMarcus Ware is tied for eighth in league with 6 1/2 sacks, but is battling back issues. ... Bears coach John Fox will be facing his former team for first time after leading Denver to 46-18 regular-season record over previous four seasons, including four AFC West titles and one Super Bowl run. Fox and Broncos parted in January. ... This will also be first meaningful game against Denver for Jay Cutler since he was traded to Chicago in 2009. He played against Broncos in preseason that year. ... Cutler had career-high 151 rating last week and became first Bears QB with two touchdown passes of 80 or more yards in one game. ... RB Jeremy Langford has 324 scrimmage yards (145 rushing, 179 receiving) with three TDs (two rushing, one receiving) over past two games. He joined Bears Hall of Famer Gale Sayers and Detroit's Jahvid Best last week as only rookie running backs with at least 70 yards rushing, one TD run, 100 yards receiving and one TD catch in one game. ... TE Zach Miller has three TDs catches in past two games, including 87-yarder last week. ... LB Lamarr Houston has three sacks in past two games, four on season. ... Fantasy Tip: Healthy quarterback could lead to opportunities downfield, meaning this could be good week to have Broncos WRs Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders.

(Corrects to Cutler played against Broncos in 2009 preseason in STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES)

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Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL