We’ve got the editor of Bloggingdirty.com, Greg Huseth, for the second installment of “5 Questions” with the division rival Atlanta Falcons this week:

1) What did the first meeting between these two teams teach the Falcons players and coaches about the Panthers?

I think the first matchup told us that the Panthers are tenacious. They were going to play extremely hard no matter the situation. The only thing that I see is that it seems the Panthers coaching staff doesn’t really know how to properly utilize Cam Newton’s skill set. I don’t know what I’d do differently, but I think he has potential to be a better pocket QB, and they are forcing themselves to run the read-option attack. Even though things aren’t going great, the Falcons know not to underestimate things, because Newton can do things beyond the called play that are phenomenal, and can get you beat in a hurry.

2) How does Julio Jones look for the Panthers game? Is he 100%?

Julio Jones is going to be 100% for this game. He wasn’t even listed on the official injury report. However, strong safety William Moore and corner Asante Samuel didn’t practice this week, and are going to be game time decisions to play. Moore not playing would be a huge factor in the Falcons ability to play the run. He is a big hitter from the secondary.

3) Now that 3/4ths of the season is done with, how do you see the Atlanta backfield and running game overall as you head into the playoffs?

I always thought that Jacquizz Rodgers was a great player for bouncing it to the outside, or catching the ball out of the backfield, but I’d never imagined he’d run between the tackles with the success he has. Don’t get me wrong, if he gets squared up by a linebacker, he’s going backward, but with Rodgers, the Falcons offensive line has some flexibility as he can cut and find a gap for a gain. He’s also really good running to the outside, and we all know he can really catch the ball. It’s particularly huge, because Turner isn’t hitting the holes like he used to, can’t really change direction very well, and doesn’t have the power he once had. The Falcons staff has said that Jacquizz is going to become the primary back in coming weeks, and I don’t think that’s a bad idea. Turner can help keep Rodgers’ carries down. Rodgers can also pass protect. The Falcons offense is simply more productive when Rodgers is in the lineup.

4) How is the Falcons’ rushing defense, a weak point this season, been coming along in the last few games?

The Falcons were missing Sean Weatherspoon for the Dallas, New Orelans, and Arizona games, and that certainly didn’t help. But since ‘Spoon has been back in the lineup, he’s playing like a new man. He has been great at containing running backs both in the run game and in the pass game. On top of that, the Falcons got DT Corey Peters back on the field and in football shape after missing much of the pre-season and training camp. There’s no doubt his presence has been huge.

5) What starter has emerged as the most pleasant surprise this season for the Falcons?

Safeties Thomas DeCoud and William Moore. They were decent safeties who at times made big plays, but it seemed like they also gave up more than their fair share of big plays. But this season, each is playing very well, they are both keeping the play in front of them, and then playing downhill on the ball. That’s also allowed them to create more turnovers. At this point, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if both of them make the Pro Bowl. Its been a pleasant surprise for sure.

But if you’re “scoring at home,” what are you doing reading this in the first place? Don’t answer that, please.

Here’s what Josh had to say:

1) Just as I started to wonder if the “young Bucs” would ever really gel as team this season, they did. I know Greg Schiano is a stricter coach than Morris was, but what do you see as the biggest difference in coaching that has led this team to being one of the rising teams in the NFL?

Well the biggest difference, as you alluded to, is Schiano football vs. Rah-Rah Raheem football. I liked that Morris had the element of motivation, but he was a one trick pony and he ended up trying to be one of the guys too much. Schiano doesn’t care if you don’t like him — which has been made evidently clear by the general distain the rest of the NFL feels towards him for the kneel-down and various other “college” gimmicks. But what Morris didn’t have was a vision, and Schiano has that. Morris sort of used what was here and told them to play football. Schiano grabbed other pieces to add to what was here and told them to win at playing football. Not many people in the NFL like Schiano or how he coaches, but the Bucs are 5-4 and no one is complaining here.

2) The one glaring weakness Tampa Bay has is the pass defense. They are dead last in the NFL in passing yardage and got rid of talented but troubled Aqib Talib just before the trade deadline. Who is filling his shoes at corner, and you used that high pick on Alabama safety Mark Barron. How well or how poorly is he living up to expectations?

Well there is a lot of Wild Card talk around Tampa and it seems I’m the only one cautiously drinking the Kool-Aid. This is a great offensive team, but as I’ve said increasingly in recent weeks, put this team up against a real NFL offense that defense gets shredded. Talib was a problem child and it’s great to be rid of him, as this team is not going anywhere this year so moving him now was the right move. Tampa’s proven they can build through the draft and they’ll focus on the secondary this year. I mean look at Mark Barron, he’s John Lynch 2.0 and that’s exactly what this team needed. Had they drafted Morris Claiborne, we’d likely be talking about how weak the safety spot is, so it’s not like drafting Barron set the team back. The safety spot is set, the secondary will be next and come net year or the year after that you might be looking at a Bucs team that’s returning to 2002 form — if not better.

November 11, 2012; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin (22) runs with the ball against the San Diego Chargers during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

3) If memory serves, the Bucs have the youngest roster in the NFL…at any rate, it’s a very young team overall with some great-looking young talent on both sides of the ball. How are things different this year?

Well last year it had the moniker “youngry” which I dug at the time but ended up being the motto of a failed regime. The team is young, it’s hungry but it’s still growing. Like I said, the team is 5-4 and in the thick of the NFC Wold Card chase but that’s a dream I’ve wanted to ease people off for a while now. I cover the Chicago Bulls, and back in 2011 when there was no expectations and a new head coach and the team exploded through the season behind Derrick Rose, I was not only drinking the Kool-Aid, I was mixing it and serving it up. I thought the Bulls would sweep their way to a seventh title, but when they got destroyed by the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, I still haven’t recovered. I don’t want Bucs fans to fall in that trap as that was an incomplete Bulls team and this is an incomplete Bucs team. That’s not to say it’s not a good team but because it’s so young has has such a high ceiling, we need to hold off on popping any bottles just yet. The major flaw in Raheem Morris’ regime was he led a culture of falls–accomplishment and misplaced entitlement. I don’t want that to happen to what has become a much better team.

4) Tampa Bay was probably the most active team in the NFL this past offseason with the free agent additions and with a number of rookie draft picks contributing on both sides of the ball. Doug Martin aside, who has been the most pleasant “surprise” among the new additions? Who, if anyone, isn’t holding up their end of the deal?

When we broke the news that Vincent Jackson had been signed, I was elated and everything I thought would happen has happened. Mike Williams struggled last year because he was the lone deep threat target getting mobbed by double teams. The passing game was therefore closed off and the rest crumbled from there. With VJax, defenses now have to account for two deep threats in addition to slot guys like Tiquan Underwood. Plus there’s the Doug Martin effect which only makes VJax’s presence all that more valuable.

As far as who hasn’t stepped up, the obvious answer is Eric Wright, just because he’s now the No. 1 corner on the worst ranked pass defense in the league. Plus, he’s been hobbled by injuries all year long which has held him back, so while it’s kind of unfair to peg him as the guy who hasn’t stepped up, given his contract he’s looking more and more like the Chris Bosh of the Buccaneers Big 3.

5) I’ve not heard much talk about the specific but unique matchup this week – two rookie sensations going head-to-head: RB Doug Martin vs. MLB Luke Kuechly. Will Martin get over 100 yards from scrimmage this week, and what do you think the final outcome of the game will be?

I personally thought this would be a bigger deal but maybe it’s the Panthers record that’s scaring away the mainstream media from this. Kuechly is going to be great, especially since Jon Beason appears to be done in Carolina after yet another season lost to injury, so we’ll have a lot of years to live this matchup up. But as for this week, Kuechly might get the better of Martin by keeping him under 100 yards, but the thing is Martin may stay under 100 yards rushing but make up for it receiving. It all comes down to this patchwork offensive line that’s being held together with mud. If the Panthers can break this so-so line down, then the Bucs will have to look away from Martin and it might actually stunt the offense a bit. It’s going to be a good matchup but I’m going to wait for games down the road for this to be as epic as I one day hope it will be.

Winner?

As far as who wins on Sunday, I honestly think it’s going to be closer than people are expecting. Yeah, the Panthers are kind of down in the dumps and there’s turmoil within the club but this in an NFC South matchup and if there’s a team the Panthers want to stunt right now it’s the Buccaneers. Carolina has historically played NFC South opponents tighter going back to the win over the Saints and near win over the Falcons. Heck, they only lost by six points to the Bucs in week one, so if Cam Newton can exploit this secondary it’s going to be tight. I still think the Bucs win but don’t expect a blowout by any means.

1) How’s Cutler’s health? He took that nasty hit from Suh last week, which was surprisingly legal, but he’s a moose of a man in any case. Any lingering issues there?

Hopefully Cutler put the “he’s not tough enough” issue to bed once and for all with his performance Monday night. No doubt he was hurting badly after getting body slammed by Suh, but he sucked it up and was serviceable in the second half of the Bears’ 13-7 win over the Lions. I’m sure his ribs are still sore as heck but some pain killers ought to help him manage his discomfort and suit up vs the Panthers.

The concern around Chicago is whether or not he’ll have the usual zip on the ball. Cutler is a gunslinger to his core and believes he can throw into any window, no matter how small. If he’s got a couple of mph off his fastball, could passes that usually get into those tight spots suddenly become interceptions?

2) Miami is my favorite AFC team, so I’m familiar with Brandon Marshall. We all saw him drop that wide-open would-be TD pass a few weeks ago and he’s always had issues with focusing and dropped passes. How has he played in his last few games since that incident, and why haven’t we seen more out of Alshon Jeffery?

When Marshall came to Chicago, his issues with dropped passes were well known, but you take the good with the bad. The important thing is that he haul in more than he lets go and his confidence not get shaken. We know for sure that Cutler has all the confidence in the world in him, so he won’t give up on Marshall. Their relationship going back to their days in Denver gives them a bond that goes beyond the football field and I’m pretty sure it’s helped keep Marshall “in a good place” mentally. If he continues to perform at this level, he’ll shatter Bears receiving records and make GM Phil Emery look like a genius for trading two third round picks to bring a legit #1 wide receiver to Chicago for the first time in the team’s storied history.

Alshon Jeffery came on really strong out of the gate, but the rookie still has to earn his playing time behind veterans like Earl Bennett and Devin Hester. As he was starting to emerge in a bigger role, he broke his hand while catching a touchdown vs the Jaguars in Week 5, so he’ll continue to heal up and won’t face the Panthers this week.

3) Chicago once again has a stifling defense, but what area do you see that may be a weak spot that most people aren’t aware of?

The defense is playing at a Super Bowl level once again, but they still have their weaknesses. In classic Lovie Smith style, they’re a bend but don’t break defense that will force opponents to settle for underneath routes and stiffen in the red zone or force a turnover. If they don’t take the ball away, they can be had. While their run defense has been stout so far, I don’t think teams have really attacked them in earnest. If opponents try to get to the edge on the Bears, they’re in for a long day, but if they try to run right at Urlacher up the middle, they can find some holes as #54 still recovers from a knee injury.

October 23, 2011; London, ENGLAND; Chicago Bears offensive tackle J

4) The one area where I do know the Bears have issues is the offensive line but more especially in the interior. Cutler got punished last season and the Bears didn’t address that area in the draft at all. What’s the story there?

For whatever reason, the Bears really believe in former 7th round draft pick J’Marcus Webb at left tackle. He’s got all the physical tools but hasn’t performed well, so questions about his focus and mental makeup have followed him for a couple of seasons. On the other side, Gabe Carimi is basically in his rookie year as he missed all but the first 6 quarters of the 2011 season with a knee injury. Carimi is a thug in run blocking but struggled on pass protection.

GM Phil Emery inherited a good team with a few holes that needed to be filled. He bolstered key backup roles with quarterback Jason Campbell and running back Michael Bush in free agency, brought in Marshall via trade and drafted another receiver in second rounder Alshon Jeffery. In the first round of last April’s draft, Emery opted to draft DE Shea McClellin rather than guard David DeCastro or tackle Riley Reiff, which had a lot of Bears fans up in arms. The fact is, Reiff is a right tackle and they already had invested a high round pick in one the year before (Carimi) and the interior of the Bears’ line hasn’t really been the issue.

At the end of the day, Emery couldn’t address all of the issues in one offseason, but did a solid job getting many holes filled. Even if the line continues to improve, I fully expect the Bears to address the position in the upcoming draft.

5) The Bears are heavy favorites in this game, but the offense is ranked near the bottom overall. Matt Forte missed some time too, though. Is he the oil for this offense or is this Cutler’s team?

Make no mistake about it, this is Cutler’s team and they’ll go as far as he takes them but with that said, Forte is definitely the engine that drives it. Cutler gets all the headlines while Forte continues to quietly get the job done. In this week’s matchup with the Panthers, I fully expect to see a lot of Forte and Bush while Cutler recovers from his rib injury. Cutty will play, but the Bears would be wise to hit the Panthers with a steady done of their two-headed running and short passing attack.

You didn’t ask, but I’ll give you a quick prediction. The Bears and Panthers play each other so often, it almost seems like they’re in the same division. There’s a lot of familiarity between the two teams, so there shouldn’t be a lot of surprises. The Panthers were shaken up with the firing of their GM, so the players will be playing with some added intensity. Besides that, the Bears are coming off a short week with an emotional win over the division rival Lions. The Bears could be set up for a letdown game, but they rally to keep rolling. Bears 23, Panthers 19