The Chicago Bears are gearing up for yet another Thursday Night game and their third primetime game in the last five weeks set to kick off later tonight.

The first game of Week 10 has some interesting implications between the Bears and the Carolina Panthers with both teams sitting in the Top-3 of the projected 2024 NFL Draft order. With the Bears currently holding the Panthers 2024 1st-round selection, the outcome of this game could be important for Chicago come April.

However, this matchup is also a major ordeal for the Bears top two offensive weapons the team will be relying on. Wide receiver DJ Moore and running back D'Onta Foreman were the Panthers leading receiver and rusher during the 2022 season before joining their new team together in 2023.

Thursday's game is especially personal for Moore, whom the Panthers drafted with the 24th overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft. After five productive seasons with the Panthers, it appeared Moore would be Carolina's long-term guy at the position.

However, the Panthers agreed to trade Moore to the Bears back in the early spring as part of a package used to draft quarterback Bryce Young with the #1 overall pick. During the course of the first nine weeks of the season, Young has led the Panthers to a 1-6 record as the starter while ranking at the bottom of nearly every statistical category for a quarterback in 2023. 

Meanwhile, Moore has totaled 735 yards and five touchdowns in 2023. In his final season in Carolina, Moore had a career-high seven reception touchdowns in 17 games. The Bears new pass catcher is currently on pace to easily clear 1,000 receiving yards for the fourth time in six seasons.

The last time the Bears played on Thursday Night Football was in Week 5 against the Washington Commanders. In the Bears 40-20 dominate victory, Moore set a Thursday night record with 230 receiving yards and had three touchdowns. He'll be looking to have another monster performance tonight while making a statement against his former team.

Foreman will also be looking to put together another statement game against the Panthers later tonight. In 2022, Foreman led the Panthers with 914 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns despite only starting nine games. However, the Panthers choose to let their leading rusher walk in free agency and instead invested in another free agent, Miles Sanders.

Foreman instead signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Bears while Sanders agreed to a massive four-year, $25.4 million contract with the Panthers. In 5 games in 2023, Foreman has totaled 287 rushing yards and three total touchdowns. In 7 games in 2023, Sanders has just 229 yards and one total touchdown.

The Panthers leading rusher in 2023 has been Chuba Hubbard, whom Foreman shared the backfield with in 2022. Hubbard only has 328 rushing yards this season, 41 more rushing yards than Foreman while playing in three more games.

The Bears were hopeful to have starting running back Khalil Herbert back later tonight, but it's now being reported that Herbert may not be activated from the injured reserve this week despite being a full participant at practice.

With Herbert not expected to suit back up, Foreman will be called upon to start once again for the fifth consecutive game. The last time Foreman played on Thursday Night Football also came in Week 10, 2022 and was against the Atlanta Falcons. Foreman led the Panthers with 31 carries for 130 yards and one touchdown.

Bears fans should expect to see a similar stat line later tonight. The Panthers have allowed 131.8 rushing yards per game (5th-most in the NFL) and 14 rushing touchdowns (2nd-most in the NFL) in 2023. Foreman will likely be licking his chops lining up in the Bears backfield tonight.

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