Matt Forte

today’s clusterf*ck.

(5-7) Kansas City Chiefs 10
(7-5) Chicago Bears 3

After seeing Matt Forte fail to get up following a hit to the knee and was declared out of the game, I knew the Bears were going to fall. Sure, Marion Barber came in and played pretty well, but he’s not enough to keep this offense going for four quarters. Hanie’s three interceptions (I do include the final toss-up) were too costly for a team missing their top two offensive talents.

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till not Jay. Martz has to avoid the trap of throwing too often against KC, instead relying on Matt Forte to get points on the board. Forte’s production has trailed off in recent weeks so a return to glory is in order for today. Get on it Martz!The Odds:

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se has been so successful this year because the idea of Jay going deep has loosened the defense for Matt Forte up front. With better offensive line protection, Hanie has to let his receivers take advantage of a soft set of Raider corners. Stanford Routt and Chris Johnson may have been in the league for several years, but that doesn’t mean they’re any good. Mike Martz has to jump on the Raiders in the first half and then rely on Forte to close this one out. Get a decent lead for this defense and they’ll get you a win. Just avoid taking heavy hits from a Raider defensive front that only needs to rush four to get to the quarterback. Richard Seymour will be coming on every play.

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Much like their offense, the Charger defense is soft. Matt Forte should have little resistance as he shreds the Soldier Field turf, but look for a big day from Jay Cutler. He needs to avoid forcing throws towards safety Eric Weddle, but otherwise the San Diego secondary isn’t to be feared. On the injury front, the Chargers will be without linebacker Shaun Philips, who is one of their better pass-rushers as well as defensive end Luis Castllo. For the Bears, another shift on the offensive line: Instead of Chris Williams, who was lost for the season after emergency wrist surgery, Edwin Williams will get the call at left guard. Williams should be fine in pass protection, which leads me to believe the o-line will continue its progress and Cutler won’t be under duress all day. I need another strong outing from Earl Bennett, who should see a lot of the crafty Quentin Jammer. For the rest of the Bear wide-outs, this might be the one game where they have an advantage over the opposing secondary.

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A multitude of Matt Forte runs and a Kyle Vanden Bosch late hit penalty set up the Bears at the six, where Forte took it in to give his team a lead they would never relinquish. A Tim Jennings forced fumble gave the Bears their second possession, on which Cutler found Earl Bennett on their way to Robbie Gould’s first field goal. After Lance Briggs wrapped up Matthew Stafford during an incompletion, Devin Hester brought back the punt 30 yards to the Chicago 48, foreshadowing his next punt return. After an 82 yard run up the sidelines off what seemed like the Lions’ ninth punt of the game, Devin Hester made it 20-0 with fourteen minutes left in the second quarter and sucked the life out of the Lions. From there the defense pinned their ears back and the line went after Stafford as the corners sat on his throws.

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Chicago will excel on offense if they can keep Matt Forte on the outside and in space. Detroit’s linebackers are suspect at best in their run defense, so Forte and Marion Barber have to figure heavily in the offensive scheme, regardless of the elements. Ndamukong Suh has been getting a lot of hype this season, but his production has tailed off, especially in his run defense. Expect Barber to run right at Suh just to test his resolve and football acumen. On the outside, all I know is that Earl Bennett needs to be out there as much as possible after the production he showed last week. Devin Hester is active for the Bears, so special teams figures to be its typical explosive self. Cutler has to continue making excellent reads and finding the open man, whoever that may be. Jay’s run of exceptional games has him right knocking at the “elite quarterback” door, so another clutch performance in a big-time environment is just what the pundit ordered.

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s 30
(3-5) Philadelphia Eagles 24

On the opening Bears drive (79 yards in all) it was cleat Matt Forte would be a key cog in the offensive wheel. 45 yards on his first three carries essentially locked in play-action passes as a viable option for the rest of the night. The first of many third down conversions by Bennett and helpful carries from Marion Barber put Cutler in position to heave it to Matt Spaeth for Chicago’s first score and their second opening drive TD this season.

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This is a Matt Forte game if I’ve ever seen one. Martz just take advantage of Juan Castillo’s blitzes with draw plays and the occasional screen pass. This way the Bears avoid getting Cutler killed or put in nasty down-and-distances, instead wearing the Eagles out early. If Forte doesn’t run for 100 and catch 4-6 passes, I’m not sure Chicago can win. There’s simply not enough help on the offense.

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It took a helluva effort from Matt Forte and actual catches from Roy Williams, but Chicago got on the board early and played enough defense to keep the Bucs from completing the comeback late.

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After the free kick, Matt Forte and Williams combined to set the Bears up at the three yard line, where Marion Barber found a ginormous opening to put the Bears up 16-0 in the first quarter. From there, it was nearly all downhill for Minnesota. A badly-missed Ryan Longwell field goal allowed Cutler to take the offense down 39 yards, giving Gould the chance to drill a 51-yarder.

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Jay never stay safe? In order to keep Cutler upright, Martz has to remain committed to the run with Matt Forte. Exploit Allen’s aggressive nature and get draw plays with Forte up the middle where the Vikings are weakest. There are going to be opportunities to take in the passing game, especially if Cutler gets the play-action going. The question remains: which wide receiver besides Dane Sanzenbacher will actually step-up and make a play? Roy Williams or Johnny Knox have to make a statement tonight, assuming they can get on the field for more than four snaps.

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With only Matt Forte and a rookie wide-out, Jay managed to put points on the board when the rest of the offense took the night off or false-started in their pants. Cutler kept plays alive, made accurate throws and good decisions, and stood in the pocket and took solid shots to the chin all night. They were several drives that took up chunks of clock that only continued because Cutler willed it. If you’re still hating him, you’re part of the problem. ‘Cause Jay sure the hell isn’t. I’m done with all the unwarranted complaints about his body language and his demeanor. He gets his ass kicked every week and never moans or complains. He takes his beating like a man and tries to win every single time he steps on the field.

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(but not ALL the time) and draw plays in order to take advantage of an aggressive Lion front four. Matt Forte will not be pounding it between the tackles, but Marion Barber will need to show up in short yardage. With Stephen Tulloch leading a dependable group of linebackers, the Bears will have a strenuous time on the ground. What could help a troubled pass protection is that the Lions likely won’t blitz as much as prior opponents, giving the Bears an easier time picking out their blocks.

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ccess in the running game, which they carried throughout the day and racked up 224 yards as a team. Matt Forte tore up the sod on his way to 205 yards rushing on 25 carries, including a 46 yard run to set up the Bears’ first field goal as well as 17-yard score in the second quarter. Marion Barber even got in on the fun in limited action, getting four carries, the last of which was the game-sealing touchdown with under two minutes left in the contest.

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With Jon Beason out for the season, the Panthers are ripe for the picking up the middle with Matt Forte. Everyone that has been calling for the ground game to get going should have plenty to be happy about today. If they can’t run on the Panthers, they can’t run on anybody. Their secondary isn’t anything to write home about either, giving up about 240 yards through the air. They have eight sacks on the season, so that number will probably get to double-digits today. If Jay Cutler can find the open receiver without overthrowing, the Bears shouldn’t have any trouble getting to the 21-24 points necessary to seal up the win. (Unless they let Newton get going… that’d be a bad idea.)The Odds:

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Thought he did need to get Matt Forte involved at some point, whether it be on the ground or through the air.

Chicago’s defense was made to look the fool by Mike McCarthy’s play-calling and Rodgers’ mastery of the hard-count, which drew Bear defenders off-sides several times. Running back Ryan grant got going early on, racking up 89 yards on only 14 carries, taking time away from James Starks. What really bit the Bears in the proverbial behind was their complete inability to keep track of Jermichael Finley in the red zone. You’d think after the first (or second) score that defenders wouldn’t lose him. There were a couple red zone stands from the Bears, forcing the Packers to settle for field goals, but it wasn’t enough to keep them in the game.

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He’ll need to force-feed the ball to Matt Forte with ACTUAL RUNNING PLAYS. Nineteen screen passes to the running backs won’t get it done. Another factor that necessitates an increase on hand-offs are the injuries in the wide receiving corps. Earl Bennett, Cutler’s most reliable target, won’t be on the field because of the chest injury he sustained last week. Roy Williams will likely be on the field, but he may not be 100% because of his groin. Cutler will also get help from injuries, as starting Packer safety Nick Collins went out in last week’s contest with a season-ending neck injury. There are going to be holes in the Packer D in the middle of the field, but I’m not sure Cutler will have the time to make those throws or if the few healthy receivers will know to exploit them.

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r that it was field goal city for the Bears, who got absolutely nothing going on offense aside from Matt Forte’s receiving yardage. It started up front, with a Lance Louis-less offensive line that got taken advantage of all game long. Gabe Carimi going down in the first half was just a sign of more hits to come. The Saints managed double-digit hits on Cutler, which doesn’t include the six sacks of the Bear QB, one of which resulted in a fumble. Cutler was obviously and understandably frustrated as the game drew on as his receivers dropped several passes and his line gave no resistance to the Saint defenders. I would have been furious too with the collection of crap that surrounded him. No one should question Cutler’s toughness after the beating he took today. He’s got idiots on the offensive line and a madcap in a booth calling plays. How mad would you be?

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ave me my only heart attack when Cutler was woozy getting up in his own end zone.) Screen passes to Matt Forte and Devin Hester worked to perfection, with the first scoring directly and the second leading to a Matt Spaeth score on the next play. Forte got better as the game drew on, despite some early rushing woes. He finished with 68 yards on the ground and five catches for 90 yards to lead the team in both receiving categories. Even Roy Williams had an impressive debut, catching three passes for first downs (complete with annoying signals) before leaving the game with a groin injury.

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The Falcons run defense was decent in 2010, giving up close to 106 yards a game, but Matt Forte is going to have his opportunities to break out of the backfield.

Switching to the defense’s perspective, there are more than a few weapons to worry about in Atlanta. Their offensive line is big and nasty, built to propel the running game forward. Matt Ryan is quick with his throws out of the pocket, extraordinarily accurate and eager to spread the ball around. It'll be an issue to get pressure on him, even with Julius Peppers. As has been the case the past few years, Roddy White is liable for a big game, as he loves to find the open spots in the cover-two and wait for Ryan to find him. What could give the Bears’ small corners trouble is rookie Julio Jones. At 6’3” with deceptive speed, Jones’ size is an asset. He should get plenty of slants and easy throws early to get him some confidence as they eventually work him down the field. Against the run, the Bears shouldn’t be in too much trouble. Michael Turner is good, sure, but he’s more of a downhill runner and won’t make too many shifts. If the Bears are sure tacklers today, they can contain Turner.

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mething new.

Behind that offensive line is a tremendous running back combination of the versatile Matt Forte and the bruising Marion Barber. After failing to reach an accord regarding a new contract, Forte will risk injury this year as the Bears attempt to ride him once again. Forte is shiftier than you’d think and has a set of afterburners that can compete with anyone. He’ll be a key cog in this Bear offense each and every week as he can run inside, outside and is an expert pass-catcher. Replacing the near-useless Chester Taylor is former Cowboy Marion Barber, who ran with reckless abandon in the preseason, making Taylor’s presence unnecessary. Barber was brought in to ensure the Bears don’t come up short in goal line and short yardage situations, where they struggled in 2010.

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ons to three different receivers (Hester, Bennett, Sanzenbacher) on a 12-play drive that ended with Matt Forte punching it in for six. On the whole, Mike Martz’s offense looked crisp while the starters were on the field, converting five of their seven third down chances. Jay Cutler’s offseason work is clearly evident in his play. His footwork is as clean as I’ve ever seen it, making his delivery clean and on-target. On several drives on Saturday, Jay stepped up in the pocket and made quick decisions followed by accurate throws. He hit eight different receivers in the first half while never taking a sack. He’s ready for the regular season.

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r saw a deep sideline throw from Cutler to Hester in stride for 37 yards, immediately followed by a Matt Forte screen pass that saw Forte break free for 42, setting up the first Gould field goal. Still, there’s obvious work to be done by Mike Martz. As for the still-maligned offensive line, they held up pretty well against the Giant pass-rushers. Keeping Cutler upright is always a win. (He was sacked once on a scramble out of the pocket, for those wondering.) Cutler had a decent night, but his stats aren’t overwhelming. His receivers didn’t help with several dropped passes. *Cough*Williams*Cough*

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Down 14-0 in the early second, Chicago hadn’t mounted much of an offense, despite Matt Forte’s best intentions. Forte’s 70 yards on the ground and 90 through the air (with ten catches, no less) make him the clear MVP in the loss. He kept the Green Bay defense honest which made it easier for Caleb Hanie to step in as he did after Jay left the game early in the third with his injury.

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Chicago’s front five has to be able to manhandle the smaller Packer front and get Matt Forte and Chester Taylor into the secondary. Picking up 5-8 yard chunks on the ground keeps Cutler upright and puts the Bears in manageable down and distance situations, keeping Clay Matthews out of the backfield and on his heels.

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When you look at his performance as well as the combined effort of Matt Forte and Chester Taylor, the offensive line needs to be recognized for their dominance today.

Acknowledging their taking it easy in the second half, the Bear defense came out and did exactly what was necessary. Tommie Harris accounted for Chicago’s two sacks of Matt Hasselbeck, making the most of his time on the field. Holding Seattle to only 34 yards on the day is impressive for a team that ran all over the Saints whenever they wanted. No “Beast mode” today Mr. Lynch. Let’s just remember though, they were playing the Seahawks. Just saying.

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Martz must continue to feed Matt Forte the ball and churn up yards on the ground. From there, he can call the play-action passes at which Cutler excels. Running play-action will suck in ball-hawking Earl Thomas towards the line of scrimmage, which means Johnny Knox or Devin Hester may be able to be at their man down field for a big play. While Martz will need to take his shots today, it comes down to how effective Cutler can be when the time comes. He has to limit his errant “whatever” throws. Keep it safe, but stay on the attack. Missing the past few weeks, Greg Olsen cannot be overlooked in today’s gameplan. He’s a mis-match for any of Seattle’s linebackers, including the now active Lofa Tatupu, who will go after missing time with a concussion. Olsen typically makes his presence felt in the red zone, as long as Cutler doesn’t force a ball into triple-coverage. On the edges, Chicago has to account for Chris Clemons

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ew seven-step drops will be on the docket for today against Clay Matthews and a Dom Capers defense. Matt Forte and Chester Taylor will get the bulk of the action today, but Taylor really needs to see serious action before the playoffs start. He’s been under-used this season and it’s been a shame that he never sees the holes that Forte gets. Today has to be a work-out for Taylor if nothing else.

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ut of bounds, but I have a hard time believing veteran Steve Weatherford goofed up that many kicks. Matt Forte was integral to the win, racking up 113 yards on the ground (including one TD) and catching four passes for 56 yards. It was another off day for the Jet defense, who are falling apart in recent weeks. That’s not a Super Bowl-caliber defense by any stretch.

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After getting ahead Mike Martz can pound away on the Vikings’ front seven with Matt Forte and Chester Taylor. Honestly, he should take a cue from the way the Patriots dismantled the Bear defense a week ago. Short, crisp passes over the middle to the tight ends and slot receivers will keep the offense on the field and control the clock. That’s how you win in the elements. The Odds:

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Chester Taylor must continue to be showcased alongside Matt Forte in the running game in order to pound away at the Pats’ young defense. (Though running to the outside is best, since big Vince Wilfork is a black hole in the middle of their 3-4 defense.) Brandon Spikes it out because of a PED violation, weakening the line-backing unit. Game on.

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He out-played Vick at every turn. Cutler had plenty of help from Matt Forte 117 yards, which included a 61 yard scamper to set up Earl Bennett’s first touchdown.

What was extraordinarily surprising today was the Bear offense. They rattled off several plays of over 25 yards, beating the Eagles routinely down the field. Cutler spread the ball around, with Bennett snagging two scores on his four receptions and Devin Hester and Johnny Knox catching three apiece. Working off of short fields thanks to a solid day of kick returns, the Bears had the Eagles where they wanted them all day and took advantage of their corners. Greg Olsen may have had only one catch, but he was in the thick of plenty of scuffles and recovered a Knox fumble that would have stalled a scoring drive.

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Were I Mike Martz, I'd get Matt Forte and my running game going and lean on it today, using play-action to pick on those corners as the game goes on. But that's just me.

The Odds:

The Eagles are currently a three-point road favorite.

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Thanks to Matt Forte's 97 yards and the only touchdown of the game, Martz was able to stick with the run all night and wore down defenders in the second half. Cutler tore apart the defense on third down and picked the perfect spots to scramble down the field. Solid field position from Devin Hester returns (or opponents kicking away from him) put the offense in charge on each drive. I'd like to see less field goals and more touchdowns, but I'll take a win like this any day.

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If Jay hits the ground more than three times, Martz isn't doing his job. Matt Forte and Chester Taylor are extraordinarily rested thanks to their lack of activity the past few weeks, so I would expect their rust to get knocked off this afternoon with a ton of carries. Greg Olsen should factor heavily into what I hope is a limited passing attack, getting past the soft Bill linebackers and sitting in front the secondary. Speaking of which, the Buffalo back four are the only players with which the Bears should be fairly concerned. Jairus Byrd is a play-maker at safety, even if he gambles a bit too much and is overrated because of his interception numbers. Drayton Florence shouldn't be over-looked at corner either.

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Cutler made poor decisions, Devin Hester and Johnny Knox quit on pass routes and Matt Forte continued his fumbling problem. DeAngelo Hall was the beneficiary of Cutler's errant throws, racking up all four interceptions. Johnny Knox has a case of the drops after a decent start, killing Bear drives.

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A quick three-steps is all I want to see from Cutler on the day. If Matt Forte and Chester Taylor aren't in Martz's doghouse, they have the opportunity to have huge games against a 'Skin defense that is giving up tons of yardage. Keep an eye on DeAngelo Hall at DB for the Redskins, who will likely see Johnny Knox for most of the day.

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After their very first drive that ended in a Matt Forte score, the Bears had to feel plenty of confidence that their one-loss record would stay intact when the day ended. The Seattle Seahawks had other ideas, responding immediately with a touchdown drive of their own and holding the Bears off in a 23-20 win.

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Despite that statistic, Mike Martz can't forget about the run in Cutler's first game back. Matt Forte's explosiveness last week proved that he needs to touch the ball as often as possible. His success should serve as a deterrent to defenses that simply want to blitz Cutler on every down. The Seahawk defense is weak up front with Chris Clemons and Red Bryant on the outside. Former Colt Raheem Brock gives the 'Hawks depth at the end position, but the Bears should (emphasis on should) be able to control the line of scrimmage. Still, the additional shifts this week might make for early problems on offense. Chris Williams makes his return to the starting line-up, but now at left guard, replacing the injured Roberto Garza. Edwin Williams and J'Marcus Webb will get their second opportunity to start together on the right side of the line, so keep an eye on the youngsters to see if they fend off the veterans behind them on the depth chart.

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S Presswire

Setting the tone early, the Bears scored 17 points in the first half thanks mostly to Matt Forte's speed and good blocking up front. When Forte is on his game and healthy, his ability to break big runs cannot be ignored. He showed it today, scoring on runs of 18 and 68 yards to put the Bears on top for good. Racking up more than 150 yards on the ground, he was the Bears' offense for the game. The second half wasn't quite so pretty, but thank the defense for that.

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If Matt Forte and Chester Taylor are going to find their rhthym, this is the game to start looking. With defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka out, the Bears have one less end-rusher to worry about. Kiwanuka has accounted for four of the Giants' six sacks this season, so Perry Fewell's defense is going to have trouble generating pressure from the front four. Add in Osi Umenyiora not playing at 100% thanks to a knee injury and the Bears shouldn't have problems blocking even without Chris Williams. If they can handle the gammut of pass-rushers that Green Bay threw at them, Mike Tice and the Bears will be fine against the 4-3 scheme of the Giants.

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We were wearing throw-backs. On Monday Night Football. Against Green Bay. And were picked to win by the majority of ESPN personalities. Bears fans know these are all bad signs. Ignoring them all, the Chicago Bears held serve at home and defeated the Green Bay Packers in an ugly contest 20-17 to stay undefeated and stand atop the NFC as the last unbeaten team.

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hould be in for a huge game as well, especially if the short passing game is Martz's primary focus. Matt Forte and Chester Taylor won't find a lot of room to run against a Green Bay front seven that has four dynamic linebackers on the prowl. A.J. Hawk may not be their best linebacker anymore, but he's no slouch. It'll be rough going on the ground, so screen passes will help get the Packers on their heels.

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With an ugly win over the Lions in the rear-view mirror, the Bears are heading down to Big D for a noon kick-off against the Cowboys. Not wanting to waste your time, let's get right into some analysis!

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y Johnny Knox) and one poor decision made by Cutler to throw into triple coverage. Greg Olsen, Matt Forte and Cutler all fumble during the course of the game, killing drives in Detroit territory on a regular basis. What kept the offense going were screens and short passes to the running backs, one of which accounted for Forte's 89-yard touchdown. Forte had 201 all-purpose yards and the final game-winning grab on Sunday, more than making up for his one lost fumble. Cutler showed great mobility in the pocket, evading the rush and gaining first downs. However, taking four sacks and seven hits is unacceptable for the offensive line.

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hind the line, the Bears may have the best running back unit since Angelo took control of the team. Matt Forte is back at 100% after a hamstring hampered his production last season and showed that missing speed on a few runs during the preseason. Luckily, Forte won't be forced to carry the ball an ungodly amount of times this season, thanks to one of the Bears' key free agent signings in the Chester Taylor. Stealing him from division rival Minnesota means the Bears made a significant improvement while weakening their primary competition. Taylor is shifty with decent speed and has less tread on his tires than other backs of his age after back-up Adrian Peterson. Despite the speculation, both Garrett Wolfe and Kahlil Bell made the 53-man roster, giving the Bears a contributing special teamer in Wolfe and an actual third RB in Bell.

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Mike Tice should start earning his paycheck.

Out of the skill positions, Matt Forte showed the speed burst he was missing all of last season. If he can stay healthy, he's still the lead back on my squad. No wide receiver really made themselves known on Saturday night, but a Cutler scramble and pass to Johnny Knox in the back of the endzone made for another good highlight of what Jay can do when he's not on his butt.

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ense should have no trouble tearing apart the second-worst defense (worst pass defense) in the NFL. Matt Forte should get a ton of carries and a rare 100-yard game to end the regular season. Jo

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Earl Bennett and Matt Forte did what they could, but they couldn't overcome the giveaways. 

Before the the blowout, Bears GM Jerry Angelo came out and denied a Comcast report that said Lovie Smith's job was safe. He even went as far as to say money would not be an issue when it came to deciding what was best for the team. That was possibly the best Bears news I've heard in a while. Still, I'm not convinced Lovie is going anywhere. The Bears will lose to Minnesota on Monday night, but a lackluster outing against Detroit could seal Smith's fate if it isn't already.

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Ron Turner put an obvious emphasis on running the ball, force-feeding the ball to Matt Forte and Kahlil Bell 38 times for 120 yards. Cutler only threw 18 times, a sure side effect of an injured hand. Still, the Bears went downfield early, attacking a porous St. Louis secondary. Devin Hester made his best catch of the season and Earl Bennett caught his first career touchdown.

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Against all those blitzes, it would be critical to establish Matt Forte and the running game to ease the pressure off Cutler, but I have no faith in that line right now. They haven't earned it. Devin Hester and Greg Olsen must continue to be reliable pass-catchers and move the chains consistently for Chicago to have a shot.

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Cutler wasn’t sacked all night, but he was constantly running for his life and hit six times. Matt Forte saw no rushing lanes whatsoever, racking up 41 yards on 20 carries. His lack of production caused Ron Turner to call 52 pass plays. Most of the Bears’ ten penalties could be attributed to the offensive line. Orlando Pace was on the sideline towards the end of the game and honestly, I never noticed when he went out. It didn’t matter. It was that bad. 

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Welcome to a newly streamlined and revamped Gameday Preview! I figured the prior incarnation was just too filled with stats and useless analysis. From now on the preview will be more akin to extended Opening or Final Drive commentary. This week sees the Bears heading to San Francisco to take on the 49ers on Thursday Night Football. Let’s get to it!

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interception and a fumble on the two following Browns possessions lead to another field goal and a Matt Forte touchdown, putting the Bears up 16. A Browns score made it 16-6 early in the third, which was too close, even though I never felt like they were going to get the upper hand.

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O-Coordinator Ron Turner can’t reach 30 points, it should be considered a bad offensive day. Matt Forte will have no better chance for a break-out game than against Cleveland’s front seven. As much as Turner may love throwing the ball with his new favorite,

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It simply isn’t working. 

-Jay Cutler and Matt Forte aren’t the problem, the offensive line is. Sure, Jay will throw a ball or two into triple coverage, but that’s his style. He’s single-handedly kept the Bears in games they had no business winning, even while working with a receiver corps no one gave any credit. Speaking of which, Devin Hester was one of the lone bright spots against the Bengals, showing true wide receiver ability.

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hemselves as dangerous downfield threats so they can take coverage away from Greg Olsen and free up Matt Forte and the running game. Without pass-rusher Antwan Odom, who was lost for the season with an Achilles tear, the Bengals are going to struggle to get to the quarterback. If Jay Cutler gets enough protection from his O-line, he can put up points in a hurry.

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A Jay Cutler interception on the first drive and a Matt Forte lost fumble in the third quarter (after a Forte recovered fumble the play before) took at least six points off the board. Cutler also overthrew Greg Olsen early in the second quarter in the middle of the field to end another Chicago drive. Cutler needs to keep his red zone mistakes down and Forte MUST curb this fumbling problem he’s discovered. 

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However, Jay can’t do that without an effective running game. Matt Forte should be able to find enough holes in the 15th ranked rush defense to set up the play-action pass. If Chicago can’t force Atlanta to respect the run or bring an eighth man in the box, the downfield attack won’t be as easy to manage. Protecting Cutler from sack-specialist John Abraham will be a difficult task, prompting some tight end or running back help for most of the afternoon.

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A 61-yard Matt Forte run set up an Elway-like helicopter dive from Jay Cuter into the endzone. Despite that inspirational score, Detroit struck right back with a 72-yard drive for their second TD. 

Continue reading "Bears Demolish Lions in Second Half of Blowout Win"

 

For the offensive line, an emphasis should be placed on opening up holes for Matt Forte and the running game. Their lack of cohesiveness has shown through three games, as the Bears are only averaging 71 yards on the ground per contest. With Cutler under center, there should be plenty of room to run if their blocks are executed properly. (That goes for you too Olsen.) Fortunately, Detroit’s big defensive tackle Grady Jackson is listed as questionable with a knee injury. At 345 pounds, he’s not an easy man to move around.

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left in the first half.  

Pushing the attack, the Bears were closing in on a score when Matt Forte fumbled the ball reaching for the goal line. Not to be a buzz-kill, but I have NO idea what replay the refs got when they reversed the call. Whatever the case, Lovie Smith tossed the challenge flag and won, giving Cutler a chance to hit Greg Olsen in the endzone to put the Bears on the scoreboard at the end of the half.  

Continue reading "Cutler leads Bears to 25-19 win in Seattle"

If Tatupu is not at 100% (or out, even better) and Hill is on the sidelines, then Matt Forte should see plenty of carries coming his way. Seattle end Patrick Kerney may excel at rushing the passer, but he’s average against the run. Expect runs his way and up the middle.

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ight ends dropped far too many passes, and the running game was stymied for a second straight week. Matt Forte only racked up 29 yards on 13 carries, a paltry and nearly inexcusable sum. We thought having Jay Cutler would free up the running game, not stifle it! That being said, they were playing against two 3-4 defenses that are built to stop the run. Hopefully a trip to Seattle will solve the problem.

Continue reading "Bears Shock Steelers with Late Field Goal"

Matt Forte is sure to have another slow day against another 3-4 defense, so the pressure is on Cutler to stretch the field and pull men away from the line of scrimmage. He’ll need to make infinitely better decisions with his throws, and avoid throwing off his back foot, a mechanical issue that got him into trouble against the Packers. With tight end Desmond Clark out with a rib injury, Greg Olsen will be the focal point of the defense for the second straight week. He’ll see plenty of double coverage unless a wide receiver can alter their thinking. Kellen Davis will be sliding into that second tight end spot, giving a bigger and younger alternative to Clark.

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Ron Turner’s play-calling did nothing to stop the bleeding, as he completely abandoned Matt Forte and the running game in the first half. Maybe Turner didn’t realize that you should take the ball out of your QB’s hands when he’s throwing interceptions? You let him settle back down with some hand-offs and then ease him back into throwing. Cutler is not Tom Brady; he gets emotional and needs to be reigned in every now and again. Deal with it.

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Chicago’s Matt Forte may be in for a rough afternoon. With the loss of back-up Kevin Jones for the season, he’ll get the bulk of the carries yet again. Adrian Peterson needs to step and instill more confidence in his abilities.  

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Devin Hester returned a punt fifty-four yards to Denver’s four-yard line, where Matt Forte punched it in to go up 10-3.

After halting the Denver offense yet again (thanks to Adewale Ogunleye’s inadvertent laceration of Kyle Orton’s index finger on his throwing hand), the Bears were pinned on their two yard-line with five minutes left in the half, backed up once more. Jay Cutler was about to leave Broncos fans restless.

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n.

Running Back:

This is going to be an important back-up slot for the Bears this season, as Matt Forte needs to see a drop in carries from last year’s campaign. Kevin Jones and Garrett Wolfe are supposedly in the mix for the back-up role, but we haven’t seen Ron Turner try to establish the run this preseason. He needs a plan for these two that works, because I don’t need to see Wolfe’s small frame run up the middle again.

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In Buffalo, he was missing his two best weapons, Matt Forte and Greg Olsen. For Chicago’s home preseason opener, both players were available and anxious to make plays for their new franchise QB.

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Star running back Matt Forte was held out of the game on a coach’s decision and starting tight end Greg Olsen was kept in street clothes due to a minor hip injury. No sense in risking our key cogs in a meaningless preseason game.

Continue reading "Cutler Doesn't Meet Hype Against the Bills"

wever, like he has all season, he routinely missed on his deep throws, unable to stretch the field. Matt Forte was continually found on the sidelines, only running the ball 13 times for 50 yards. When the post-season was on the line, I expected to see my team’s best player with the ball in his hands. Forte has been the reason for Chicago’s offensive success, as his production has caused defenses to tighten up at the line of scrimmage. This shift allowed mediocre Bear receivers to make more plays downfield, since there are fewer defenders in coverage. Chicago couldn’t keep the pressure on the Texans, punting on six of their eight drives following their first two scores. They sputtered as the pressure mounted, going three-and-out three times and two for ten on third downs, never giving the defense times to rest. Danieal Manning did his best to help Houston, fumbling the kickoff following the Texans’ first score. Manning has been doing his best Devin Hester impersonation this season, providing a spark on special teams mixed in with awfully-timed mistakes. 

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lose four fumbles to Atlanta yesterday, the Bears are playing with a purpose. 

Running back Matt Forte is listed as questionable with that toe injury he suffered last week against New Orleans, so the running game could be in a spot of trouble. If Kevin Jones doesn’t see action tonight, he must be truly abysmal in the eyes of the coaching staff. Attacking the Green Bay defensive front by establishing the run will keep Aaron Rodgers and the offense on the sidelines where they belong. Controlling the time of possession will be important in the frigid weather, and an effective rushing attack will speed the game up, of which I’m sure all the players would be in favor. Kyle Orton’s bothersome ankle should be completely healed by now, giving him the power and velocity back in his throwing motion. He’ll need it to get passes past this aggressive Packer secondary that plays mainly in man-coverage. Hopefully Ron Turner will take it out of Orton’s hands by rotating running backs in an attempt to maintain healthy production handing the ball off. The offensive line will play an integral role in dominating the Packers’ front seven if Forte is to have any success. Whatever strategy they employ, they certainly need to score more than the three points they mustered in week eleven. 

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Greg Olsen made plenty of key grabs, catching eight of Orton’s 24 completions. Matt Forte left the field after his very first carry with a toe injury, but returned to score a touchdown in the second quarter. Chicago only rushed for 55 yards total, choosing to abandon the run as the game progressed. Devin Hester was the real threat for Chicago, despite catching only four passes for 46 yards. He drew two significant pass interference calls on Saint defenders downfield, the last of which put Gould in perfect position the kick another game-winner. The Bears only scored six points in the final half plus overtime, continuing their trend of letting up on beaten squads. Ron Turner needs to get creative in these final weeks. 

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se enough possessions to match the Saints’ point output. 

Breakout rookie running back Matt Forte figures to factor heavily into the Bears offensive game plan on Thursday. If he has a successful night carrying the football, Chicago can keep Brees on the sideline by controlling the time of possession. However, that plan would require converting a high percentage of their third downs, which has been a glaring short-coming of the Bears offense as of late. Kyle Orton shouldn’t feel too much pressure, as not only will Forte shoulder the bulk of the offensive production, but the Saints’ pass defense ranks 26th in the NFL. That fact will make it easier for Orton to avoid throwing an interception in his third straight game. Watch for Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark to exploit a weak line-backing corps while Devin Hester abuses the secondary on deep routes. As Marty Booker is listed as doubtful with injured ribs, it seems Brandon Lloyd has a shot to make it out of Lovie’s doghouse. Don’t ask me why our once number once wide-out has lost favor with the coaching staff, because I couldn’t fathom a reason. Lloyd missed a long stretch of time with a knee injury, but that’s no reason to leave him buried on the bench. Hester can’t be the only threat at the position, and Rashied Davis is not sure-handed enough to be a dependable receiver. With such an average list of talent, any legitimate option must be explored to the fullest degree, and Lloyd is that option. Unfortunately, I’m confident he isn’t a factor in Chicago’s future plans, which is normal for incoming veterans wide-outs. It’s just the latest in a long list of confusing personnel decisions by Lovie Smith.  

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ion early in the third quarter, but the Jags couldn’t capitalize, keeping the victory intact. Matt Forte only rushed for 69 yards on 21 carries, but he also caught five passes for 37 yards as he passed Gale Sayers for most scrimmage yards by a rookie in Bears history. So even on a quiet day, Forte made a loud statement. Still, even amidst a solid outing, the Bears had their troubles. They only converted on 5 of 15 third downs, a growing concern for Ron Turner and the offensive staff. The second half was an offensive dry spell, as the Bears had one interception, one field goal, and four punts. They won’t defeat playoff opponents if they can’t keep drives alive late in games.  

Continue reading "Bears Avoid Drama by Handily Defeating Jaguars"

That plays into the hands of Matt Forte and the offensive line, who rush for the same 115-yard average, which ranks 17th in the NFL. Pro Bowl caliber cornerback Rashean Mathis is out for the Jaguars, which will make throws into the secondary safer for Kyle Orton after unleashing his inner Grossman last week. Now it’s on the wide receivers and tight ends to get separation so Orton can find them downfield. Otherwise it won’t matter who is playing across the line of scrimmage. There’s only one offensive injury of note for the Bears: Fullback Jason McKie has missed every practice so far this week, making it more likely that undrafted rookie Jason Davis will start his second NFL game.  

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Following an incompletion over the middle to Greg Olsen, a Matt Forte run off left tackle, a Jason Davis run up the middle, and a Forte run up the middle, the Bears turned the ball over on downs. On the very next play, Gus Frerotte found ex-Bear Bernard Berrian on the sideline behind broken Charles Tillman coverage for a 99-yard touchdown pass. Minnesota went up 10-7 and proceeded to humiliate the “Mediocre of the Midway” for the rest of the night. 

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Orton has to come out firing against the Vikings’ suspect secondary in order to free up Matt Forte and the ground attack. In order to fully utilize Forte, Lovie Smith and Ron Turner must place an emphasis on running sweeps and tosses to the outside to avoid the Williams boys. I don’t believe they’ll really commit to that strategy, but it’d be nice if they tried once or twice. Expect a lot of running for the sake of running, probably off the center or the guard right into one of the hefty defensive tackles. That’s the norm for Lovie Smith, so why deviate? Can you tell how frustrated I am with this coaching staff’s ineptitude at making adjustments? I hope so; otherwise I’m considering branding the sentiment on my forehead. 

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Don’t jump off the Super Bowl cliff though, this was only the Rams.  

Matt Forte could do no wrong on Sunday. Even after a fumble early in the second quarter, it was still his time to shine. Forte broke through on the Bears’ opening possession for 13 yards and a touchdown on what was a four play, 49-yard drive to the end zone set up by a 50-yard Danieal Manning kick return. Forte racked up 136 yards and two touchdowns on the day, giving him new personal highs for his short career. He added an impressive 47-yard touchdown in the second quarter. He was the center point of a Bear offense that put up 24 points in the first half on Sunday, putting the Rams away early. The surprise out of the running game was Lovie Smith’s choice to spell Forte during the game. Adrian Peterson, known for his special teams work, filled in on multiple plays and carried the ball 5 times for a solid 35 yards. Garrett Wolfe even found carries during garbage time in the fourth quarter. Heck, even Devin Hester and Rashied Davis ran the ball off of reverses. With everyone getting in on the ground, it was a shock to never see running back Kevin Jones on the field. Jones has apparently not impressed his coaches enough to get playing time over the forgotten Peterson or the small, shifty Wolfe. It’s a safe bet to think that Jones won’t be in Chicago after this season.  

Continue reading "Bears Defense Shines in Win Over Rams"

was shelved early as the Bears found themselves falling further behind on the scoreboard, limiting Matt Forte’s carries. Wide receivers were missed or couldn’t make the catch, so tight end Greg Olsen and Forte were the only Bears with more than two receptions. The performance was a definite reminder of the anemic Bear offenses of the past, where scoring twelve points on their own was a cause for celebration. Against the Rams’ 30th ranked defense however, fans should not be surprised if the Bears explode early. Number two overall pick Chris Long has played well at the defensive end position, but his presence can only help so much. The Rams give up a staggering 158.4 yards rushing per game, so if the Bears can’t run the ball effectively, they can only blame themselves. Orton dropping back should be a rare sight on Sunday since Lovie Smith has three viable options at tailback with Forte, Kevin Jones (who has fallen off the planet apparently), and Garrett Wolfe (great on special teams). Honestly though, it will be a shocker if Jones and Wolfe get more than three carries between them. Lovie wants to run Forte into the ground before he can even make it to the post-season. 

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That makes for one extremely boring drive chart. Matt Forte produced when he was called on, averaging 4.0 yards on his 16 carries. By halftime however, the running game was abandoned because the Bears trailed by two touchdowns and needed to make up the difference through the air. Green Bay was in a position to tee off on the quarterback and protect against the big play. It was over after two quarters. 

Continue reading "Bears Get Blown Out in Green Bay"

Between Matt Forte, Kevin Jones, and Garrett Wolfe the Bears have an opportunity for a huge day on the ground. The Packers own the NFL’s third ranked pass defense, so going through the air too often won’t end well. They also lead the league in interceptions with sixteen. This would appear to be the perfect game for Kyle to try and play through an injury, since the Packers (like the Bears) have struggled to pressure the quarterback, totaling only sixteen sacks through 9 games. (For all those wondering, the Bears have 17 sacks. Take that Packer fans.)

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e running game was decent if nothing else, but I have yet to see Kevin Jones or Garrett Wolfe spell Matt Forte for any significant stretch of time. That’s inexcusable to me, as tailback combinations are the key to longevity and consistency of a successful running game. 

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Add that to a running game that found itself behind Matt Forte’s 126 yard performance last week, and you’ve got the recipe for a solid offensive attack, with or without Kyle Orton. 

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t a more important juncture. 

The Bears offense found its former identity thanks to a rested Matt Forte. The rookie tailback carried 22 times for 126 yards, his best numbers all season. His production took the pressure off the incoming Grossman, allowing him to ease into the flow of the game and not force anything early. To be successful, coordinator Ron Turner must continue that strategy and put Rex in the best position to win. He and Orton are almost polar opposite at quarterback, and each requires a vastly different offensive game plan. Look for the field to be stretched further with Grossman, but less of the tight sideline routes will be called. It will be interesting to see how this unit responds to losing one of its captains and most dependable contributor. 

Continue reading "Rex Returns to Lead Bears Over Still-Winless Lions"

me needs to make its return to the Bears offensive game plan, as it has been missing for some time. Matt Forte is tenth in the league in rushing, but his production has been hampered by stingy defenses trying to make the Bears one-dimensional. The Bears have won in spite of those successful attempts, but will need Forte and the ground game in this stretch of the season.  

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better than it has in the past.

The only real issue on Sunday was the inability to run the ball. Matt Forte had another brutal outing, only rushing for 56 yards on 20 carries. Though in his defense, teams have been trying to take Forte out of the game since his first appearance, when he went for 100 yards. Now that Kyle has been making teams pay for trying to stop the run by passing all over them, Forte should begin to find breathing room. For the Bears to remain atop the NFC North, their running game must break through the proverbial wall as well as the wall of defenders. They have showed signs of creativity (as least for the Bears anyway) by using toss plays to get to the outside. Normally so devoted to running up the middle, it’s nice to see them try something different, even if they only do it three times a game.

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Nothing makes Bears fans forget about a tough loss better than a win against a division opponent. The Bears will get the chance this Sunday when they host the Minnesota Vikings in the first of their two meetings this season. Both teams, along with the Green Bay Packers, are tied atop the NFC North with matching records of 3-3. One team must make a move to get ahead of the pack now (no pun intended), or they will still be trapped in a three-team dogfight for one playoff spot. If the Bears intend to claim that spot, beating the Vikings at Soldier Field is they way to start.

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They had a sad showing in the first half, only netting three points off the boot of Robbie Gould. Matt Forte and the running game were ineffective early, leading to a load of short drives that never included more than one first down. The Bears came back late with four impressive drives, three of which went for scores.  

Continue reading "Bears and Falcons get Crazy in Atlanta"

The Falcons run defense is solid, so Matt Forte looks to have another rough outing. If he can break through early, then Kyle can expose the pass defense late. While the pass rush of Abraham is excellent, the pass defense is average after the trade of DeAngelo Hall to the Raiders. The short, quick routes that the passing game is known for should be a focus of Ron Tuner and the offensive staff this Sunday. Brandon Lloyd is still questionable, so Devin Hester needs to make plays at the wide-out spot for the second straight week. Rashied Davis must build off of his 6 catch-97 yard performance last week to solidify himself in the Bears receiver rotation. Against a stingy defense, points will be at a premium, so don’t expect another 34 point day from the Bears offense.

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rushing attack wasn’t much more effective, it did set up the play-action with great success. Matt Forte had 61 yards from scrimmage, including a touchdown reception that saw him stretch out barely past the goal line. Kevin Jones had a decent performance against his former team, rushing for 36 yards on ten carries. The real key to the Bears’ offensive success was Kyle Orton and the passing game. I’ll let that sink in for a moment. Kyle Orton broke my prediction of less than two 200 yard passing games with an astounding 334 yards and two touchdowns. With another contest against the Lions in week nine, Orton probably has another 200 yarder on the schedule. Even more shocking was the emergence of the wide receivers in the passing attack. Rashied Davis and Devin Hester stepped up big time in the absence of Brandon Lloyd. Making his first real start at wide receiver, Hester took advantage of the opportunity to stay out on the field for five catches for sixty-six yards and a touchdown. We all knew about his talent, but Sunday Hester showed us the reason the coaching staff has so much confidence in his ability to be a number one wide-out. Tight end Greg Olsen broke free of coverage for 52 yards on the first play on the Bears’ second drive of the game, the first one of many downfield plays by Kyle Orton.

Continue reading "Bears Maul the Defenseless Lions"

the chance that Kyle Orton would play mistake free football behind a solid running game provided by Matt Forte and Kevin Jones. And in a league in which upsets are common place, there was always the chance that the Chicago Bears would beat the Indianapolis Colts in their brand new stadium.

Continue reading "Bears dominate in regular season opener"

Last year’s rookie draft pick Garret Wolfe and this year’s second round draft pick Matt Forte. Forte is slated to be the starter of this team already in his rookie season. The other Adrian Peterson is also another option at running back, but again he is not a starter. He is a good backup.

Continue reading "32 Teams in 32 Days, Team #26: The Chicago Bears"

The Bears signed their running back of the future earlier today. Matt Forte, now the starter by default, was given a 4 year contract. With no Cedric Benson in his way, expect Forte to make the most of this opportunity when training camp opens on July 23. He'll have all of the opportunities Cedric was given, but with no Thomas Jones entrenched in the locker room causing a rift and competing for the starting job. There can be no better situation for a rookie running back to flourish. He has Adrian Peterson as his primary back-up and Garrett Wolfe as the change-of-pace reliever if no one other free agent is signed. Forte will have the overwhelming bulk of the carries, as he should be far and away more talented and suited for the role.

Continue reading "Bears are Fast-Movers with Their Rookies"