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When the Chicago Bears host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, it looks like they’ll see the return of defensive tackle Akiem Hicks to the starting lineup.

Hicks has been nursing a groin injury suffered on the first play in their Week 4 game against the Detroit Lions. Hicks missed the following week and returned for Week 6 against the Green Bay Packers, where he reaggravated the groin injury. It ultimately forced him out of last Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“I knew I wasn’t 100 percent,” Hicks said. “But it’s hard not to play in that game, you know what I mean? … It didn’t perform how I wanted it to, but I was able to show up and play some important reps for my team.”

With outside linebacker Khalil Mack sidelined with a foot injury this weekend, the Bears are going to need some other players to step up on the defensive front. Especially against a talented 49ers run game.

Chicago allowed 182 yards rushing against Tampa Bay, and now they’ll have to contend with a 49ers offense average 120.2 rushing yards per game, which ranks 12th in the NFL. And Hicks will be a key part in stopping the run.

“Stopping the run is all mentality, man,” Hicks said. “You’ve gotta want it more than that guy does. We’ve had some performances over the years where we’ve played some of the top running backs in the league at the time or in the course of that year and we obliterated them. We’ve taken them down.

“It’s something that we stand on or should stand on on any football team, is shutting down the run. So I would say this: You’ve gotta have that want-to to step out there Sunday and be willing to impose your will.”