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Thayer: Bears Must Test Clay Matthews

(WBBM) When the Bears take on the Packers on Sunday at Soldier Field, they'll have the unfortunate task of handling an eager Clay Matthews.

Matthews, who missed the last four games with a hamstring injury, will return to the Packers' defense Sunday.

Former Bears center Tom Thayer said the Bears need to see if Matthews is truly healthy right away.

"You gotta test him first of all," Thayer said. "You gotta see how he can do as a pusher and a puller in terms of his hamstring. Does he rush the same? Can he get into a back pedal equally as efficient?"

LISTEN: Tom Thayer on WBBM Newsradio

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In the Bears first match up against the Packers this season, a 23-10 beat down in Green Bay, Matthews accounted for 3 1/2 of the team's seven sacks. This time, however, Thayer thinks the Bears will have the advantage.

"J'Marcus Webb is going to be a lot better off because he's going to be in control of the snap count," Thayer said. "He's going to hear the commands of Jay Cutler's voice. When you go into Green Bay on Week 2 and you don't hear a word out of the quarterback's mouth outside of the huddle, it's a lot harder to play against Clay Matthews.

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