CHICAGO — A heavyweight battle has materialized quickly for Sunday’s game after Packers rookie nose tackle B.J. Raji questioned the strength of Bears’ center Olin Kreutz.

Raji, a first-round draft pick from Boston College, raised the stakes for what is expected to be his first career start with Ryan Pickett doubtful on the injury report with a strained right hamstring. He told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Thursday that Kreutz is “just fast. That’s not his game, really, strength.”
Kreutz is undersized at his position at 6 feet 2, 292 pounds, but he has been voted to six Pro Bowls. While he’s almost always complimentary to opposing players when asked, he fires back when publicly questioned.
“Is that his expertise after (10) games in the NFL?” Kreutz said Friday after practice in the Walter Payton Center. “That is the great thing about the NFL. We’ll find out Sunday.”
Was Kreutz surprised at Raji’s remarks?
“No, that’s the way young players are nowadays, they are all pretty much clowns,” he said. “That’s what he thinks. After 10 games, he probably thinks he is the strongest guy in the NFL.”
The Kreutz-Raji matchup will be at the heart of the Bears’ game plan as they hope to remain committed to the run. They are 3-2 in games when Matt Forte has 20 or more carries, and controlling the ball on the ground will aid the defense against Green Bay’s offense.
Kreutz talked earlier in the week about how Raji has played all three positions on the line in the Packers’ 3-4 scheme that is ranked No. 1 on defense. He didn’t have any comment on his film work Friday.
“Ah, you know, I would rather not compliment him now,” Kreutz said. “I’m not going to talk about a rookie”