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RISING

1. Alshon Jeffery, WR: Jeffery did a little bit of everything in the Week 4 loss in Detroit. He came up with a tough touchdown catch despite blanket coverage (he dropped a sure touchdown the play before), showed the ability to beat a defense deep with a 44-yard reception, and proved he can also be a weapon in the run game with a 27-yard end-around. With the exception of the Bears' win against the Vikings on Sept. 15, Jeffery has been a reliable target for Jay Cutler the entire season. Jeffery figures to reach 60 catches in 2013 if he continues to avoid injury -- he missed six games his rookie season. Jeffery's confidence seems to be growing every week.

2. Julius Peppers, DE: The Bears' failure to sack the quarterback is still alarming, but Peppers had his best game of the year on Sunday, by far. According to NFL statistics, Peppers finished with six tackles and the Bears' lone sack and quarterback hurry. Peppers also dropped Reggie Bush for no gain on the Lions' first offensive play from scrimmage, and overall, the defensive end appeared to be moving better than in previous weeks. With the Bears' depth on the defensive line tested due to injuries, it's vital Peppers contribute some impact plays to the defensive effort moving forward.

3. Earl Bennett, WR: Bennett's role in the offense is expanding. The wide receiver participated in 49 plays and caught a late fourth-quarter touchdown from Cutler, Bennett's second score in the past two weeks after hauling in the Week 3 game-clincher versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. Bennett isn't targeted often, he has seven catches on the season, but when the ball does come his way, the wideout generally makes a play. Bennett is clearly the fifth option on offense, but he is sure-handed and dependable.

FALLING

1. Jay Cutler, QB: The Bears lost to the Lions for two reasons; (1) Cutler turned the ball over four times, and (2) the defense failed to tackle Bush. Cutler will throw interceptions. That is a fact. Sunday marked the seventh time since 2009 that Cutler tossed three or more interceptions in a game. The Bears claim Cutler's mistakes were all physical, that his decision-making was sound in the 40-32 defeat. If that's the case, then all of Cutler's miscues are correctable. But these performances are always a concern with Cutler. The Bears might be able to beat a bad Minnesota team at home when the quarterback turns the ball over three times, but on the road against a quality opponent, the Bears have no shot to win if Cutler gives the ball away at such an alarming rate.

2. Entire defense: The whole group gets the nod for Bush rushing for 112 yards on 11 carries in the first half alone. The Lions seemed to have a solid gameplan for how they wanted to attack the Bears, but that does not excuse the poor tackling. Bush was making Bears defenders miss all over the field. The Bears have allowed way too many big plays on defense this season. The turnovers and defensive touchdowns are great, but this group is expected to produce better results. Even without Lovie Smith, Rod Marinelli, Brian Urlacher and now Henry Melton, there are enough Pro Bowl-caliber defensive players on the roster to prevent these kinds of breakdowns. And where is the pass rush? This all better improve in a hurry with Drew Brees coming to town on Sunday, otherwise the Bears' 3-0 head start to begin the season could evaporate over the next month.

3. Adam Podlesh, P: He had a rough afternoon at Ford Field, there is just no other way to put it. Despite punting in a controlled climate, Podlesh averaged only 40.2 yards per kick with a net average of 28.8 yards. Heading into Week 4, Podlesh had been averaging 44.6 yards per punt with a 42-yard net average. Punters will have bad games from time to time. Podlesh had a mild slump last year but finished the season exceptionally strong. The hope is he puts the Lions game behind him and bounces back against the Saints. Field position figures to be at a premium against the high-powered Saints' offense, so Podlesh pinning the Saints deep in their own territory whenever possible will be an important key to victory.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The expectation was for Chicago Bears No. 2 running back Michael Bush to have a larger role in the offense during the club’s Week 4 game against the Detroit Lions.

However, the Bears sent Bush on the field for just two of the team’s 72 offensive snaps in their 40-32 loss to the Detroit Lions. In stark contrast, starting tailback Matt Forte played 71 of the 72 snaps and carried the ball 14 times for 95 yards and one touchdown. Forte also caught the ball five times for 22 yards.

The Bears signed Bush to a four-year, $14 million contract in the spring of 2012 to serve as Forte’s primary backup. Bush will earn a total of $2.550 million this season ($1.5 million base salary, $1 million roster bonus and $50,000 workout bonus), but has run the ball just 16 times for 24 yards in four games.

Bears coach Marc Trestman explained that Bush’s role was limited on Sunday because the Bears fell behind by 20 points in the first half.

“I think it was the kind of game it was more than anything,” Trestman said. “It was a two-minute drill more than anything else. We want Michael to be part of our football team and hope to get him in the mix during the course of the game. We have to grow in that area. We just have to find more ways to get him out there. It’s just difficult because we don’t want to take Matt off the field, either.”

Bush appeared in 13 games for the Bears last season, carrying the ball 114 times for 411 yards and five touchdowns. He rushed for a career-high 977 yards for the Oakland Raiders in 2011.

ESPNChicago.com's Jeff Dickerson takes your Chicago Bears questions in the wake of their 40-32 loss to the Detroit Lions during a live chat at 1 p.m. ET (noon CT) Monday. Click here to submit your questions.

CHICAGO BEARS (3-0) at DETROIT LIONS (2-1)

Noon CT Sunday at Ford Field on FOX

Chicago Bears rookie guard Kyle Long is in for the biggest test of his young NFL career on Sunday when he lines up against Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

Suh might not have gaudy numbers against the Bears -- three sacks and 13 tackles in his career -- but he applies plenty of pressure and disruption to the offense. Oh, and big hits like when he slammed Jay Cutler to the turf last season, leaving the Bears quarterback with bruised ribs.

How will the revamped line, including Long, fare against Suh? Our panel weighs in on that and more:

Fact or Fiction: The Bears' offensive line will neutralize Ndamukong Suh on Sunday.

Jeff Dickerson: Fiction. I'll never understand why Suh behaves the way he does. He is one of the most athletically gifted defensive tackles in the game. He doesn't need to take cheap shots. So why go down that road? All the negativity surrounding Suh makes people forget how good he really is. He had 8.0 sacks last season. The Bears offensive line has done a terrific job protecting Jay Cutler, but Suh is expected to be a tough assignment on Sunday. When the Lions are good, which isn't often, the indoor atmosphere at Ford Field is a tough venue for road teams. Expect the crowd to make it difficult for the Bears to hear Cutler at the line of scrimmage. That little extra edge for Suh could make a big difference in the game. Suh enters Sunday with zero sacks on the season. My best guess is he probably doesn't finish the game with zero sacks.

Jon Greenberg: Fact. Though with Suh, neutralize is relative. I like what I've seen out of the first three weeks from this group, and furthermore, I like what I've seen out of Cutler. His decisiveness is making his line look good. [Coach Marc] Trestman has been calling quick throws, which means the line doesn't have to hold their blocks for an ungodly amount of time. There is a synchronicity to this group right now. Suh will get some pressure and I'll bet he records at least a couple hits on Cutler. But I think the rookies Jordan Mills and Long will hold their own, with Cutler's help.

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LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The Chicago Bears' Week 3 Sunday night road win in Pittsburgh was on Kyle Long's thoughts until approximately 6 a.m. on Monday. That’s when Long finally went to sleep after the rookie decided to stay up and watch a saved television copy of the Steelers game, despite not returning home until 3:30 a.m. following the team’s postgame flight back to Chicago.

In the NFL, teams are required to move on from a victory or a defeat at lightning speed, and for Long and the rest of the Bears’ offense linemen, that means getting a jump start on their next opponent: the Detroit Lions.

Long said Tuesday night on ESPN 1000’s “Football Night in Chicago” he began the process of breaking down film on Detroit’s talent defensive tackle duo of Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley since early in the week to get a jump start on the process.

“I’ve been doing some early preparations,” Long said. “I’ve been trying to sharpen my mental sword I guess you could say. I’ve been just trying to pick up some tendencies that I can use against their defense, hopefully.

"Suh is just relentless. He is a relentless football player. He is somebody that is just going to always keep coming and give you his best. He’s got that kind of presence where you’re like, ‘I can’t take a play off.’ If you do, he will expose you.”

The upcoming battle between Long and Suh could be especially physical on Sunday since both players are known for their strength and nasty on-the-field demeanor. Although Long has yet to cross the line after the whistle the way Suh has throughout his three-plus years in the league. Suh is without a sack through the first three games of 2013, but his 8.0 sacks last year was the second-highest total of any defensive tackle. Fairley is second on the Lions defense with 1.5 sacks, behind rookie defensive end Ezekiel Ansah (2.5).

“What people can’t see through all the time with all the media scrutiny is truly how great of a player Suh is and how great of a player Fairley is and the devastation those two guys can impose on an offense,” Long said.

CHICAGO BEARS (2-0) at PITTSBURGH STEELERS (0-2)

7:30 p.m. CT Sunday at Heinz Field on NBC

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Here is the first installment of the Chicago Bears’ Friday mailbag.

Lee Holland of Norfolk, Va., writes: What’s it going to take for Alshon Jeffery to get more involved in the offense?

Jeff Dickerson: Jeffery didn’t have his best game last week (one catch for five yards, two rushes for 30 yards), but he’s been targeted 13 times through two games. So Jeffery has been involved in the offense, it’s just that Brandon Marshall, Matt Forte and Martellus Bennett have accumulated better statistics heading into Week 3. Jeffery’s time will come. Bears head coach Marc Trestman is likely telling the second-year wideout to stay patient. Jeffery proved to everybody in the preseason that he is reliable weapon in the passing game. Give it some time.

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Bob from Chicago writes: Is Jay Cutler a $20 million a season QB? What options do the Bears have at QB if they don’t believe Cutler is worth that money?

Dickerson: Bob, Cutler is off to a strong start, but it’s only Week 3. The smart move is to wait until later in the year to determine whether or not Cutler is the kind of quarterback the Bears want to invest that heavily in. If Cutler continues to shake off his mistakes and lead the Bears to victories and to the playoffs, then all his money concerns (not that he really has any) will be taken care of. But I don’t feel comfortable writing the ‘Jay Cutler is a new guy’ narrative after two games. The true test will come when the Bears face real adversity. How will Cutler respond? As for Plan B; the Bears really don’t have one. I assume if they decide to not re-sign or franchise Cutler, they would search for his replacement via the draft while also signing a veteran quarterback in free agency. The Bears want to make it work with Cutler, however. That is how the scenario would play out in a perfect world.

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Frank from PA writes: Don’t you think the Bears will be hurt without a legitimate No. 2 receiver as they continue to play tougher teams on their schedule?

Dickerson: Yes, the Bears need a dependable No. 2 wide receiver. But I believe the Bears have two on the roster: Jeffery and Earl Bennett. If Cutler ever gets into a situation where he can’t connect with Marshall, Martellus Bennett or Matt Forte out of the backfield, Jeffery and Earl Bennett are more than capable of catching the football in tough situations. Earl Bennett, especially, has shown that he has great hands. Not good, great. The drawback with those two players has been their inability to stay healthy. But if both are active every week, the Bears should have enough at wide receiver to get them through the season with great success.

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Deryll Ringger from Decatur, IN, writes: Why does Devin Hester let the ball hit the ground when fielding punts instead of saving 20 yards by catching the ball before it hits the ground?

Dickerson: Fair question, Deryll. For all of Hester’s brilliance on kickoff returns (249 yards) last week against Minnesota, he does still have occasional lapses in judgment when determining when to field punts or let them drop. Now, I think Hester’s decision making has improved since last season, but he’ll never be perfect. I guess Bears’ fans will just have to live it. Hester is still capable of busting long returns, and I believe the 76 and 80 yard kickoff returns he busted off versus the Vikings made up for his indecision on punt return.

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Frank from Canada writes: If Julius Peppers continues to be nonexistent while cashing the biggest check on the team, do you expect him to be on the team in 2014?

Dickerson: Obviously, Peppers needs to produce for the Bears to keep him around beyond 2013, but the veteran defensive end has time to turn it around. If Peppers goes off and has a monster night versus the Steelers, some concerns should fade away. However, it’s way too early to determine whether or not the Bears want to carry the $18,183,333 cap charge or pay the $14 million in salary to Peppers in 2014. Even though the Bears are expected to have ample salary-cap space next year, Peppers does have an expensive contract, especially for an older player. But if Peppers starts to light it up and finishes with his standard 11.0 sacks, then maybe it would be worth it. Another factor is the development of Shea McClellin, Corey Wootton and Cornelius Washington. If the Bears feel good enough about the younger players stepping up into larger roles, Peppers could become expendable. But just like with Cutler, Bears general manager Phil Emery has plenty of time before he has to make that call.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall felt he ‘disrespected’ veteran Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor when the two squared off during in the 2010 regular season, but promises not to overlook the 11-year veteran defensive back on Sunday night.

“He’s one of the best in the business,” Marshall said. “It seems like he’s getting better as he ages. I remember a few years ago playing against him in Miami. I disrespected him a little bit. I didn’t do my film study and I got out there and he did some things that really put me in a tough spot. So I’ve been going back to my Denver days and my Miami days just watching him and seeing how he played me, watching a lot of film because I have a lot of respect for this guy and no longer will I overlook him.”

The game in question occurred on October 24, 2010 when Taylor limited Marshall to five catches for 57 yards in the Steelers’ victory against the Dolphins.

Taylor probably isn’t a household name out of Pittsburgh, but the cornerback has been a regular starter for the Steelers since 2005 and played in 135 consecutive games before he suffered a season-ending injury late in 2012.

“You know what, he’s a technician,” Marshall said. “He’s smart. He’s always in the right spot. Sometimes we think it’s all about having supernatural ability. But it’s not. Sometimes when you have your technique down and you really know your game plan and you know what you’re supposed to do, that’s better than having a guy that’s all-world.”

The Steelers’ problems on offense have been well-documented, but their defense is still ranked No. 10 overall after two weeks.

“It’s similar to our defense,” Marshall said. “Different schemes, but you have guys who've been in the same system for 10 years, made a few runs. So whenever you have guys who really know the system, it just makes it so much harder on opposing offenses because they’re really the pitcher sometimes and not the batter. So as an offense, my philosophy is you always want to control the game. But this is going to be an all-day sucker.”

Marshall failed to finish practice on Thursday because of a tight back, but the Pro Bowler gave every indication that he expected to play in Week 3. Marshall was born in Pittsburgh (he moved to Florida in the 5th grade) and remained a die-hard Steelers’ fan right up until the Broncos drafted him in the fourth-round of the 2006 draft.

“That was my team,” Marshall explained. “I was cheering for the Steelers all the way up until I got drafted. The year I got drafted the Broncos and the Steelers played in the AFC championship and I remember watching that game in my dorm room with my Steelers blanket cheering for the Steelers and we went on to go to the Super Bowl.

The next year I got drafted to the Broncos and I was like, ‘Oh sorry guys.’"

Shedding his receiver duties to focus on his return game has seemed to work out well for Devin Hester.

He returned five kickoffs for a Bears-record 249 yards against the Vikings in Week 2 -- including a 76-yarder and an 80-yarder -- and brought back his only kickoff return 31 yards against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1.

If Hester, who will be a free agent after the season, continues to be a difference-maker for the Bears in the return game, will his career in Chicago extend beyond this season?

Our panel weighs in on that and more:

Fact or Fiction: Devin Hester will play his way into a new Bears contract after this season.

Jeff Dickerson: Fact. A confident and healthy Hester is a great weapon for the Bears to have under contract moving forward. If Hester has a Pro Bowl caliber year returning kickoffs and punts, why wouldn't the Bears make an attempt to re-sign him in the offseason? The question, of course, is compensation. Hester is making a total of $2.1 million in 2013 to be strictly a specialist. Are the Bears comfortable paying him the same amount in a new contract? Will Hester want more? These are difficult topics to discuss because we really don't know how it's all going to shake out. But put it this way: After two weeks Hester has done nothing to hurt his chances of landing a new deal from the Bears in free agency, or maybe even before that.

Jon Greenberg: Fiction. Like Marc Trestman, I'm an admitted Hester fan. Watching him return kicks is like watching Derrick Rose drive the lane, pure athletic joy. But I don't know that the Bears will be able to afford a full-time kick returner. I think Hester will have a very good season, and I think he's worth a good deal just as a return man, but I bet the Bears let him get that money on the open market and invest in other positions. It'll be a sad day when Hester is no longer a Bear, so enjoy him now.

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LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Through two weeks of the regular season the Chicago Bears’ offense (No. 14) actually outranks the defense (No. 17), a feat the offense was unable to accomplish during the majority of the Lovie Smith era.

The Bears are still on the plus side of their turnover ratio (+1, good for 11th in the NFL) thanks to the defense, but the unit ranks a pedestrian No. 14 in rushing defense and No. 17 in passing defense, despite the club’s 2-0 record to begin the season.

Sunday night’s game in Pittsburgh could present the Bears with an opportunity to get back on track defensively. The Steelers have averaged a woeful 9.5 points per game -- fewer than all but two teams in the league -- and rank second-to-last in the league in total offense and rushing offense. Pittsburgh is also converting only 28 percent of its third-down chances, primarily because the Steelers found themselves in so many third-and-long situations in losses to Tennessee and Cincinnati.

Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger stated the obvious on Wednesday during a conference call with Chicago media members.

"We need to score more points," Roethlisberger said. "You’ve got to score more points. We do, we need to run the ball more effectively. We need to be better throwing the ball, and like I said, turning the ball over just kills you. That eliminates points."

So does poor pass protection – Pittsburgh has surrendered seven sacks in two weeks.

In fairness to the Steelers, (1) they had a major injury on the offensive line in Week 1 when starting center Maurkice Pouncey suffered a season-ending knee injury, (2) Roethlisberger has never been the quickest quarterback moving around in the pocket and (3) the team has won Super Bowls before with a bad offensive line.

But the Steelers can’t seem to do much of anything on offense, which has led to an inordinate amount of frustration in the Steel City in the infant stages of the 2013 season.

"I think winning pulls a lot of, helps cure a lot of issues," Roethlisberger said. "That’s what we need to try and do is get a win. I’ve never started a season like this since I’ve been in Pittsburgh. It’s a challenge for us, and one we’re not going to back down from.

"We know we have a tough opponent coming in, especially offensively for us. They’re a really good defense. It’s going be … it’s not like it’s getting any easier. So we need to get on our Ps and Qs and focus in."

Given all of the Steelers’ issues on offense, the Bears should be able to jump-start a dormant pass rush Sunday night at Heinz Field. The Bears have managed to record just two sacks and 10 quarterback pressures the last two weeks, a far cry from the eight sacks the defense had after two regular-season games in 2012.

"Pass rush is something we need to improve on," Bears defensive coordinator Mel Tucker said. "We need to finish in our rushes. We were getting closer, but no cigar. This week is about finishing. Four guys [need to be] working together. When we pressure, we have to get there."

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears return man Devin Hester was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in a Week 2 home victory over the Minnesota Vikings.

Hester returned five kickoffs for a career-high 249 yards in the Bears' 31-30 win, including returns of 76 and 80 yards.

This is Hester's 13th Special Teams Player of the Week honor, the most of any return man in NFL history.

Watching Vikings return man Cordarrelle Patterson run back the game's opening kickoff 105 yards for a score gave Hester extra motivation, Hester said after the game.

"Man, it [ticked] me off," Hester said. "It [ticked] me off to have someone come into our home turf and to take one to the house. Ooh, it [ticked] me off. I was so [ticked] before the kickoff, I was praying, 'Please, I don't care how deep the guy kicks it, I'm bringing it out.' That's the mentality I took. I told my guys out there we're not going to get punched in the mouth like that and just fall over and back down. If he kicks it 9 yards deep [in the end zone], especially after they take one to the house, we coming out. So don't expect me to take a knee."

Hester also said the wet conditions at Soldier Field on Sunday helped fuel the Bears' return game.

"I think the weather played a big role in what happened [Sunday]," Hester said. "It was a rainy day and the ball was a little heavy, so it kind of prevented a lot of touchbacks. We knew it was going to be a run-and-attack day with the rain. We knew the special teams were going to have to play a big factor in this game, and that's what we did. We stepped up and made plays.

"I was just happy they kicked it to me. Whenever you get an opportunity to get your hands on the ball, even if it's a nice kick and you have to bring it out, it gives me an opportunity to make plays."

A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Hester entered the year as the all-time record holder for return touchdowns with 17. A former wide receiver, the Bears removed Hester from the offensive game plan in the offseason so he could focus more on his return duties.