Muhsin Muhammad had game bests of 9 catches and 118 receiving yards last week, and after three games he leads the Bears with 19 catches for 279 yards, which is on pace for 101 catches and 1,488 yards.

But Muhammad isn't the only receiving threat in the Bears' offense. He hasn't caught a touchdown pass yet, while wide receiver Bernard Berrian (12 catches, 208 yards) and tight end John Gilmore have 2 apiece. Tight end Desmond Clark (12 catches, 193 yards) and wide receiver Rashied Davis (5 catches, 87 yards) each have 1 TD.

"I think it does a lot for the confidence of the guys on the offense, the other receivers, the running backs, the tight ends," Muhammad said. "Everybody knows that the ball can come to them on any given occasion, and that makes you play harder."

Berrian had 6 catches for 70 yards against the Vikings, and Davis caught the game-winning 24-yard TD.

"Eventually there's going to be some games where they may not be able to get the ball to me the way they want to," Muhammad said. "Just like today, I could be the decoy, and Rashied could make the big touchdown, or Bernard. It really makes it hard to defense me when you're balanced, and that's what we're trying to accomplish."

According to coach Lovie Smith, it worked on Davis' first NFL touchdown, which gave the Bears a 19-16 victory.

"I think they were definitely thinking about the ball going to elsewhere," Smith said. "Moose had about 120 yards, but that's why you need a third receiver to step up at this point."

PLAYER NOTES

--TE Desmond Clark (foot, questionable) did not practice Wednesday and is not expected to play Sunday, although the Bears have not yet ruled him out.

--TE John Gilmore, the backup and normally a blocker in the run game, could play a bigger role Sunday if starter Desmond Clark (foot) is out. Gilmore has just two catches for eight yards this season, but both catches are for touchdowns.

--TE Gabe Reid missed the first two games of the season with a back injury and has not caught a pass yet, but he could be a popular target Sunday if starter Desmond Clark (foot) is out. Reid is viewed as a much better receiver than the other backup TE John Gilmore.

--RS/CB Devin Hester has moved ahead of veteran Dante Wesley as the No. 4 cornerback on the depth chart and could see his most significant playing time of the season this week against the Seahawks' four-WR sets.

--RB Cedric Benson is expected to get 8-12 carries this week after getting blanked last week when the Bears never really established a ground game.

GAME PLAN
The Bears aren't worried about establishing the run game anymore if opponents continue to overplay it by stuffing eight men in the box. Despite a shaky outing last week, QB Rex Grossman has proven three weeks in a row that he can lead the team to victory without a strong ground game, and coaches and teammates are confident that Grossman can take advantage of any situation that invites him to throw the ball.

Defensively, the Bears are preparing for the Seahawks four-WR sets, which are partly dictated by injuries to two of their best weapons, RB Shaun Alexander and TE Jerramy Stevens, neither of whom are expected to play. The Bears consider their secondary depth to be much improved, and they think they match up well, even with the Seahawks' excellent WR depth.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH
In passing situations, Bears DTs Tommie Harris, who leads the team with three sacks, and Tank Johnson, who replaces starter Ian Scott in nickel, vs. Seahawks OGs Chris Spencer and Chris Gray. The Bears could have even more of an advantage if Gray (questionable, knee) can't play.

--Bears DRE Alex Brown vs. Seahawks OLT Walter Jones, one of the best linemen of his generation. Brown has just one sack this season, but he is among the best on the team at drawing holding calls and hurrying quarterbacks, even when he doesn't get the sack. Brown is also more stout against the run than most 260-pounders.

INJURY IMPACT
WR Mark Bradley, TE Desmond Clark and S Chris Harris were all listed as questionable Wednesday. But Harris practiced and appears to have by far the best chance of playing Sunday night. Clark doesn't seem likely to play.

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