On Sunday, tumultuous seasons for the Lions and Bears will finally come to an end when Detroit (2-13) takes on Chicago (6-9) at Ford Field. Whether Detroit will go out with a roar or a whimper likely rests in the hands of Daunte Culpepper, who will probably make his fifth start of the season.

And if you are expecting big things from the former Pro Bowler, you are in for a serious reality check.

In the three games Culpepper has started this season, the Lions have been outscored a combined 133-47. Detroit has averaged only 11.8 points per game with Culpepper under center, and he was even on the bench for many of the Lions’ scores in those games.

But with Matthew Stafford done for the season because of his injured shoulder and knee, Jim Schwartz will reluctantly hand the ball to the ex-Vikings star instead of Drew Stanton, who might have surpassed Culpepper levels of awfulness in the last two games.

Stanton’s numbers on the season: On 51 attempts, he has thrown for 259 yards and 6 interceptions with no touchdowns. If you do the math, that’s a 26.1 passer rating.

Although an official decision has not yet been reached, Culpepper is likely to start Sunday. According to the Detroit Free Press, offensive coordinator Scott Linehan likes Drew Stanton as a good “relief pitcher.”

Fantastic.

On to Sunday’s matchups:

Lions rush offense vs. Bears rush defense: I just noticed that I still somehow own the Bears defense on one of my fantasy teams. How is this possible? Chicago’s overall defense is fairly terrible, yet I (and many NFL fans) still think of them as a good unit. My theory: people still remember the greatness of the ’85 Bears, and just assume that every Chicago defense follows in the footsteps of that team. Look, Mike Singletary has been retired for years, yet everytime Lance Briggs makes a play I think of the great linebackers on the ’85 team. Also, no team gets more hoopla for a single season than does Chicago for its Super Bowl team in 1985. The Bears have only made it to two Super Bowls, yet everyone speaks of them like they are some wildly successful franchise. Sure, they had one of the greatest teams of all-time, but try not to confuse Alex Brown with Richard Dent. Back to this matchup: the Bears’ rush defense ranks 26th in the league, allowing 128.1 yards per game. Yet Detroit does not have much of a rush offense, and starter Kevin Smith is also hurt. I expect Maurice Morris to have a relatively big day against Chicago. Detroit will try to keep the ball on the ground, and Morris will benefit. Edge: LIONS

Lions pass offense vs. Bears pass defense: Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher, once considered top cornerbacks in the NFL, are shadows of their former selves. Tillman was placed on injured reserve this week with cracked ribs and a bruised lung, and Vasher simply isn’t very good anymore. Luckily for the Bears, the Lions pass offense isn’t very good either. At least when Stafford is injured, which he has been for a sizeable amount of the season. Chicago is unable to match up with Calvin Johnson, but unfortunately Detroit has no one to throw him the ball. In the first meeting between these clubs, Stafford passed for nearly 296 yards at Soldier Field. But without the No. 1 overall pick in the game, the Lions will struggle against a still potent Bears’ pass rush. Culpepper will play better, but still not very well. Edge: BEARS

Lions rush defense vs. Bears rush offense: After a brilliant rookie campaign in 2008, in which he rushed for 1,238 yards and 8 touchdowns, Matt Forte has only 828 yards and 4 touchdowns in ’09. And considering the flak the Lions’ defense has taken this season, the rush defense has been fairly solid for Detroit (at least for Detroit standards). The Lions rank 24th in the league in rush yards allowed per game, giving up 125 per contest. This would be a disappointment for most teams, but it’s a definite success for Detroit. The Lions were ranked in the Top-20 for rush yards allowed per game for much of the season, but have had some poor campaigns recently. Forte had his best outing of the season (121 yards and a touchdown) against the Lions in Week 4, and Detroit should expect a heavy dose of the former Tulane star this week. Edge: BEARS

Lions pass defense vs. Bears pass offense: During the offseason, the Lions will have to evaluate the best way to improve this pass defense, which is obviously inept. My personal opinion is that a pass rush will be the best pass defense, and many analysts and experts agree. Obviously, drafting Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy would be ideal for Detroit’s pass defense, which has allowed a league worst 265 yards per game. But if Suh is off the board when Detroit makes it selection, and McCoy doesn’t appear to be a good enough answer, Eric Berry could be an option for the Lions at safety. Sure, the cornerbacks are the weakest aspect of Detroit’s secondary. But Berry could make an immediate impact, and would help form a potentially elite duo with Louis Delmas. Unfortunately, Suh or Berry will be unable to help Detroit against Chicago this Sunday. And with Jay Cutler looking better (4 touchdowns against Minnesota this past Monday night), he should destroy Detroit’s secondary. Although the defensive backs have definitely improved as of late this season, expect Cutler to have a pretty good day. Edge: BEARS

-- STANLEY KAY
Follow him on Twitter @Lionsblogblitz