PFW associate editor Dan Parr presents a running meter that indicates the Bears' top five MVP candidates through their most recent game:

(Last week's ranking in parentheses)

1. QB Jay Cutler (1): If anyone was doubting just how much Cutler means to the Bears' offense, watching Sunday's game should have made it more clear. The Todd Collins experiment was nightmarish and it made Chicago one-dimensional. Fortunately for the Bears, the one dimension (RB Matt Forté) had a big day.

2. MLB Brian Urlacher (2): Urlacher continues to strengthen his credentials as an early candidate for comeback player of the year. His interception in the fourth quarter helped seal the Bears' win over the Panthers and he was in on one of the three sacks that was credited to DE Israel Idonije. He leads the team in tackles (34).

3. DE Julius Peppers (3): It's getting hard to pick between Peppers and Urlacher for the No. 2 slot. Peppers' first-quarter interception vs. Carolina was one of the most impressive plays of the game and Idonije probably doesn't have a three-sack day if Peppers isn't commanding double-teams on the other end of the D-line.

4. RB Matt Forté (NR): With Cutler out, Forté stepped up and carried the offense. He had more yards rushing on Sunday (166) than he did in the previous four games combined. His two TD runs in the first quarter were all the Bears needed in terms of scoring in the 23-6 win.

5. CB Charles Tillman (NR): It's close between Tillman and WLB Lance Briggs, but there's no other corner on the roster that comes close to providing the leadership and consistent play that Tillman does. He made his second interception of the season in Week Five and broke up two other passes in the win.