Backfield Must be Bears’ Matt Forte
Going into this season, everyone in Chicago is talking about Jay Cutler. Bears fans have not had a great franchise quarterback in ages and many feel that if they had one just a few years ago in Super Bowl XLI, they may have been crowned champions.
While Cutler, the franchise player, will be under spotlight, it’s important not to give running back (RB) Matt Forte a free pass either.
With the addition of Mike Martz as the offensive coordinator, the Bears offence will be seen as a prominently passing offence. Being in Chicago though, a city that has seen the likes of Walter Payton at tailback, Forte will have to carry some sort of running game this season. This would balance the offence and take some pressure off a sometimes erratic Jay Cutler.
Forte looked promising in his rookie year, but suffered some injuries last year which didn’t help him, however. Even when we’ve seen him at his best, he hasn’t exactly wowed fans and dominated games. He is a balanced running back and can do a little bit of everything, but his game still lacks something that separates good running backs from great ones. He is not very creative and defenses have seemed to figure him out.
Forte does bring a threat in the passing game. With Martz’ pass-happy system, Forte may very well get a chance to exhibit that part of his game. He may have to share that responsibility with someone who may be better in that regard with Chester Taylor as his fellow back. While they both are very good, they don’t exactly bring the kind of game that Marshall Faulk or Reggie Bush could produce.
Forte can be effective in screens and for simple dump-off passes when Cutler is under pressure. What Forte lacks is the ability to run past defenders, running wide receiver type routes. Running backs in today’s NFL are expected to be able to run, block, and catch, and while Forte can handle all three respectably well, he doesn’t come to mind when discussing the top tailbacks in the league.
Forte’s standout days have also been few and far-between. He has only two 100-yard games in his past 21, and both games benefited from a shoddy defense in the Detroit Lions. In his first two seasons, he couldn’t even manage to average four yards a carry. He especially struggled last season, granted the offensive line didn’t exactly give him much help. Forte's short-yardage game must improve this season as well as his fumbling habits.
The good news for Forte this season is that the Bears improved their o-line in their offseason. Forte is also heading into this season a lot healthier than he was last season. The Bears are expected to improve from last season, as they were very disappointing in 2009 going 7-9. The offence will rely heavily on the passing game this year, meaning Forte will get a chance to catch unsuspecting defenses off guard when he’s handed the ball. He’ll have to make-do with what he gets and will have to prove that he can have an impact in any given game. That’s the way the Bears’ offence can scare other teams this season and how Cutler can have a better season.
The Bears already play in a tough division featuring the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings, who are both considered Super Bowl contenders. If the Bears are going to compete in the NFC North, they’ll have to get their offensive woes sorted out and cut down on turnovers. Much of that hope may rest on whether or not Matt Forte can bring a new dimension to the offence.
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