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.
Matt Forte
21 August 2010
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3 January 2010
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21 December 2009
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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7 December 2009
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20 November 2009
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12 November 2009
Continue reading "Penalties and Cutler's five interceptions ..."
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11 November 2009
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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2 November 2009
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31 October 2009
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27 October 2009
-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.
Continue reading "What I learned from Chicago’s blowout ..."
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24 October 2009
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19 October 2009
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18 October 2009
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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6 October 2009
Continue reading "Bears Demolish Lions in Second Half of Blowout Win"
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3 October 2009
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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28 September 2009
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"
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25 September 2009
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21 September 2009
Continue reading "Bears Shock Steelers with Late Field Goal"
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19 September 2009
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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13 September 2009
Continue reading "Cutler tosses 4 INT's as Bears fall to Packers"
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11 September 2009
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31 August 2009
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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28 August 2009
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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24 August 2009
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16 August 2009
Continue reading "Cutler Doesn't Meet Hype Against the Bills"
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2 January 2009
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22 December 2008
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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15 December 2008
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11 December 2008
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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9 December 2008
Continue reading "Bears Avoid Drama by Handily Defeating Jaguars"
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5 December 2008
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2 December 2008
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28 November 2008
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25 November 2008
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.
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21 November 2008
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17 November 2008
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14 November 2008
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11 November 2008
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7 November 2008
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3 November 2008
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"
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1 November 2008
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20 October 2008
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.
Continue reading "Bears Give up 41 Points to the Vikings ..."
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16 October 2008
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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13 October 2008
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10 October 2008
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6 October 2008
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8 September 2008
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11 August 2008
Continue reading "32 Teams in 32 Days, Team #26: The Chicago Bears"
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3 July 2008
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.
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