By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND — Sitting at 2-1 and riding a two-game winning streak, the Raiders try to keep the winning vibes going as they head to the Windy City to take on the 0-3 Bears Sunday at 10:00 a.m. PT in a Week 4 match up. This will be the first encounter between the two teams since 2011, a 25-20 victory for the Silver & Black. Oakland hasn’t traveled to Chicago since 2003.

The Raiders’ offense was red-hot in last week’s 27-20 road victory over the Cleveland Browns.

Starting quarterback Derek Carr registered a passer rating of 115.9, completing 20-of-32 passes for 314 yards and two touchdowns. For the season, Carr is in the top-10 in the league in passer rating (102.4), touchdown passes (five), and top-15 in passing yards (726).

Rookie wide receiver Amari Cooper recorded his second consecutive 100-yard receiving game, finishing with eight catches and 134 yards. According to ESPN Stats Info, Cooper’s 290 yards receiving are the third most by an NFL rookie through his first three games only behind Louis Lipps’ 337 receiving yards in 1984, and Anquan Boldin’s 378 receiving yards in 2003.

Running back Latavius Murray had a career day, racking up a career-high 139 rushing yards on 26 carries and one touchdown. Murray, the key to Oakland’s running game, was struggling coming into Week 3 versus Cleveland with just 109 rushing yards total.

As much as the offense was a huge factor for three quarters, it was the Raiders’ 32nd ranked defense that really was the difference. Oakland’s defense sacked Cleveland starting quarterback Josh McCown five times, twice by defensive end Khalil Mack. Mack also added a forced fumble.

Entering the game, Oakland didn’t have any sacks and just had two hits (both by linebacker Aldon Smith) on opposing quarterbacks. The former San Francisco 49er linebacker could be in for a big day against the Bears come Sunday.

People can’t forget the performance that Smith put on  as a 49er on Monday Night Football on Nov. 12, 2012 against the Bears, where he registered the most sacks (5.5) in a game on the iconic program according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Smith also added two fumbles. Chicago has a very shaky offensive line and has trouble with pass protection.

Linebacker Malcolm Smith led the team with eight tackles (seven solo), and a sack, but it was Charles Woodson’s interception in the final minute of the game that sealed the win for Oakland. With the interception, Woodson joins former Washington Hall of Fame cornerback Darrell Green to record an interception in 18 straight seasons according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Green played 19 seasons and the way Woodson stays in phenomenal shape (even though he’s playing through a dislocated shoulder), could tie Green for the all-time record next season should Woodson return.

Chicago is downright a dumpster fire right now.

Starting quarterback Jay Cutler (who Bears’ fans don’t want nothing to do with, but his massive contract says otherwise) is out with a hamstring injury and the team is leaning on back up quarterback Jimmy Clausen.

Clausen, the sixth-year pro from Norte Dame, completed just 9-of-17 passes for 63 yards with an interception in Chicago’s 26-0 loss in Seattle last Sunday.

Chicago just traded away defensive end Jared Allen to the Carolina Panthers because Allen wasn’t a fit in new head coach’s John Fox’s 3-4 defense, and linebacker Jon Bostic to the New England Patriots this week.

The Bears’ defense has a whole, has given up an average of 35 points per game, a far cry from the days when Chicago put out tough defenses year-in-and-year out.

The Bears’ wide receivers can’t stay off the training table, and running back Matt Forte’s prime years are being wasted wallowing behind a shaky offensive line that can’t protect the quarterback or open running lanes for the running backs.

With the Bears almost throwing up the white flag on the season with the recent moves and anemic football on the field, this is a game that Oakland should win. It’s a game that Oakland must win to further cement that the winds of change have blown through Oakland and the Raiders aren’t perennial bottom-feeders, especially with arch rival and the AFC West-leading Denver Broncos (3-0) heading into Oakland for a Week 5 showdown on Oct. 11.

Oakland can’t overlook the Bears with Denver on the horizon and must take care of business in Chicago by leaving with a win, or be left scuffling for answers with a loss.

The Raiders have had trouble covering tight ends over the middle of the field by giving up huge plays so far this season, and Bears’ tight end Martellus Bennett is one of the league’s  premier tight ends who can cause difficulties for the Raiders’ linebackers in pass coverage.

Bennett has just 13 catches for 118 yards and one touchdown this season after coming off a career-high 90 catches for 916 yards and six touchdown catches.

Oakland has given up four touchdown catches, while surrendering an average of 84 yards receiving per game to tight ends this season.