5 Cardinals players to watch vs. Bears

The Chicago Bears are looking to pick themselves up after a trying week of criticism and self-reflection following their devastating loss to the Washington Commanders. Fortunately, they don't have too much time to think about it as they head to the desert to take on the Arizona Cardinals.

The Bears (4-3) are looking to get back into the win column and keep pace in the competitive NFC North following their 18-15 loss to the Commanders. The Cardinals (4-4), meanwhile, have won three of their last four, including two last-second victories against AFC opponents.

This won't be an easy game for the Bears, in part thanks to a few key players on Arizona. Here are five Cardinals players worth watching on Sunday afternoon:

1. QB Kyler Murray

Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is not only all the way back from the torn ACL he suffered at the end of the 2022 season; he's back to playing Pro Bowl-caliber football. Murray looks like his 2020 self, throwing for 11 touchdowns and just three interceptions with a passer rating of 98, the second highest of his career for a season. He's doing a good job of spreading the ball around, and his weapons, such as Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride, have been developing well in the Cardinals offense.

The most dangerous aspect of Murray's game is his ability to escape the pocket and buy time with his legs. That part of his game hasn't gone away, and it could be a similar situation the Bears face like they did last week against Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders. Murray's been better than people realize this year, and he shouldn't be taken lightly, even when facing a great defense like the Bears.

2. RB James Conner

It feels like James Conner has been in the league for forever. The 2017 third-round pick is still getting the job done in his eighth year, especially at home. Conner's home and road splits are staggering, to say the least, as he averages 5.17 yards per carry at State Farm Stadium. That's compared to 3.44 on the road, showing Conner loves to perform in his home stadium.

He gets the chance to go against a Bears run defense that surrendered a season-high 168 rushing yards to the Commanders last week. They could also be without Pro Bowl defensive end Montez Sweat, making an already questionable run defense even worse. This could be another big home game for the veteran back.

3. WR Marvin Harrison Jr.

For the better part of two years, Chicago Bears fans were pining for the chance to draft wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. when he eventually became available in the 2024 NFL Draft. Of course, that didn't happen as Chicago kept their No. 1 overall pick and drafted Caleb Williams before getting a different receiver at No. 9 overall, Rome Odunze since Harrison was already off the board at that point.

Harrison landed with the Cardinals at No. 4 overall and has had moments of brilliance through eight games. He has 26 receptions for 411 yards and five touchdowns, with two 100-yard games on the year. There have been games with little production as well. Harrison has failed to eclipse 50 receiving yards in five of those eight games. We'll see what kind of performance he has against this solid, yet banged-up Bears secondary.

4. OT Paris Johnson Jr.

Another possible draft target for the Bears coming out of Ohio State also landed with the Cardinals. Offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. was drafted by Arizona in 2023, a player the Bears may have been targeting before they selected Darnell Wright a few picks later. Johnson has taken a step in his development in his second year after moving from right tackle to left tackle.

Perhaps that's where Johnson was destined all along. His PFF grade is nearly 20 points higher than it was his rookie season (80), and he's a part of an offensive line that has not allowed a single sack in three straight games. Up next, he will take on the mix of Darrell Taylor, Austin Booker, and Jacob Martin from the Bears. It could be difficult for them to get to the quarterback with how the second-year pro is playing.

5. S Budda Baker

The Cardinals defense has lost quite a few players this season and isn't scaring many people these days. They do still have some name recognition, though, most notably Budda Baker. The elder statesman of the Cardinals defense may not have elite coverage skills anymore, but he's still a menace when it comes to playing downfield and wreaking havoc near the line of scrimmage.

Baker already has 79 total tackles on the year, four for a loss, and is coming off a 12-tackle performance against the Dolphins last week. He could be the key to stopping the Bears run game with D'Andre Swift and bringing extra pressure towards Caleb Williams in the pocket. The Bears will need to make sure they know where he is at all times on Sunday afternoon.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 5 Cardinals players to watch vs. Bears