Defensive line coach Rod Marinelli has earned high praise for getting more pressure from the Chicago front four with basically the same personnel, but the D-ends and D-tackles will face their biggest challenge to date Sunday at the Georgia Dome.

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was sacked twice in a season-opening 19-7 victory over the Dolphins, but the second-year signal caller hasn't gotten dirty in three games since then. The No. 3-overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft already looks like one of the best QBs in the league, assembling a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 7-to-2 and a passer rating of 102.9. Ends Alex Brown and Adewale Ogunleye apparently visited the fountain of youth in the offseason and have already combined for 7.0 sacks in four games, but it will be interesting to see if newly-acquired pass rusher Gaines Adams is active and asked to contribute right out of the shoot.

On the other side of the football, Jay Cutler needs to keep doing what he's doing in the passing game and spread it around to his backs, tight ends and receivers. Atlanta is just 20th in the NFL in total defense, giving up 355.8 yards per game, although they've gotten tough in the red zone and only surrendered 15.8 points per game – fourth best. The Bears will dress two tailbacks with Kevin Jones on injured reserve and Adrian Peterson nursing a bum knee, meaning Garrett Wolfe needs to step up and give Matt Forte a breather from time to time.

With the Giants going down in the early game Sunday to the unbeaten Saints and the perfect Vikings pulling it out on the final play against the Ravens, this battle between 3-1 NFC teams has gotten all the more important.