ESPN

Other than a break this past Sunday against the hapless Browns, the Bears' secondary has struggled this season.

Chicago allowed double-digit first downs through the air in five straight games before allowing just two to the Browns -- the NFL's worst passing offense.

But the Bears now face one of the league's best -- the defending NFC champion Arizona Cardinals.

And to handle the weapons of the NFC's third-best passing attack -- Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin -- Bears fans need to look to the right and Zack Bowman.

That's because Bowman plays right cornerback. And the Cardinals tend to throw to his side of the field.

The Cardinals throw the ball to their left 44 percent of the time, with 21.8 percent to the middle and 34.2 percent to the right. The Cardinals' results are mixed, with four touchdowns and three interceptions, but it hasn't stopped them from throwing left 28 more times than they have gone right.

That puts much of the pressure on Bowman. The second-year cornerback was given the starting nod over Nathan Vasher for Week 2 -- starting every game since. Listed at 6-foot-1, Bowman has the size to match up with either one of Arizona's premier receivers, who each stand north of 6 feet.

Possibly as a result of Bowman's imposing figure, opposing teams have thrown to the side opposite where he typically lines up 37 more times this season and found success (5 TDs, 2 INTs). Teams have a negative TD-INT differential when throwing to Bowman's side this season (3 TDs, 4 INTs).

Even better news for Chicago is that Warner is struggling, including on throws to the left. He completed 64.8 percent of his passes to the left, with three touchdowns and no interceptions, over the first five games of the season. But he has completed just 51.4 percent in the past two games, while throwing three picks.

Even if Bowman finds a way to shut down attempts to his side, the Bears' secondary still faces the tall task of covering the rest of Arizona's weapons. Charles Tillman, Danieal Manning, Al Afalava and even Vasher -- who has been taking reps at safety -- will need to have big games if the Bears are to walk away victorious.