The Arizona Cardinals are heading into their Week 2 matchup on the road against the Chicago Bears, and are looking to start the 2015 with back-to-back wins. The Bears showed improvement with Jay Cutler under center, but the Cardinals excelled with the return of quarterback Carson Palmer.
Cardinals vs. Bears 2015 live stream: Game time, TV schedule and how to watch online
The Cardinals impressed against the Saints, but can they stop a surprisingly effective Bears offense?
Palmer completed 19 passes for 307 yards and three touchdowns in the Cardinals' season opener against the New Orleans Saints. Predictably, wideout Larry Fitzgerald was the leading receiver with six catches for 87 yards; he continues to make big, dynamic plays and will benefit from Palmer being healthy this season. Other offensive contributors were Darren Fells, John Brown and David Johnson, who each recorded a receiving touchdown.
Third-year running back Andre Ellington led the rushing game with 12 carries for 69 yards and one touchdown. Just behind him was new teammate Chris Johnson, whose first game as a Cardinal resulted in 10 carries for 37 yards. Ellington sprained his PCL in the game and expects to be out for 2-3 weeks, so the roster depth at running back is limited.
Arizona's defense held New Orleans to 19 points, amassing 63 combined tackles, two sacks and one interception. Safety Tyrann Mathieu was prepared to face a Drew Brees offense, and recorded a team-high eight tackles and three pass deflections. The secondary limited Brees from making big plays down the field, and kept the receivers covered most of the game. This fast defense and tough secondary could cause issues for the Bears' newer offense.
The Bears opened their season against the Green Bay Packers, and were able to stay in the game with Cutler at quarterback. Cutler was inconsistent, completing 18 of 36 passes for 225 yards and one touchdown to tight end Martellus Bennett. There was concern during the offseason about the relationship between Cutler and Bennett, but they quickly proved they can be a successful duo.
The other scores came from running back Matt Forte and three field goals by Robbie Gould. Forte rushed 24 times for 141 yards and also caught five passes for 25 yards. Alshon Jeffery and Marquess Wilson combined for 137 yards on seven receptions. Cutler overthrew receiver Eddie Royal in the end zone during the fourth quarter, which could have tied the game had they then gone for two.
The Bears' defense spent the offseason rebuilding, and had a lot of trouble against quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his recently reunited receiver James Jones. The secondary allowed Rodgers to throw for 189 yards and three touchdowns, while the line recorded no sacks or turnovers.
Head coach John Fox was hoping to make a grand debut in Chicago, but will settle for a better result in Week 2 against the Cardinals. The Arizona team has shown offensive dominance, specifically with its passing game, and will be a similar test to that of Green Bay for the Bears' defense.
How to Watch
When: 1 p.m. ET
Where: Soldier Field, Chicago
TV: FOX. TV coverage maps here.
Announcers: Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis, Tony Siragusa
Online: NFL Game Pass











