NFL Team Report – Chicago Bears – INSIDE SLANT
The Chicago Bears’ offense has issues; even coordinator Mike Tice admits it.
Through 10 weeks, the Bears’ offense was 28th in total yards and 30th in passing yards and sacks allowed. Their best mode of attack has been the run. They ranked ninth in the league in rushing yards, but if the Bears can’t run, it doesn’t bode well for the rest of the attack.
So the Bears must lean on Matt Forte, who had his worst game of the season when Chicago suffered its second loss of the season in Week 10, and Michael Bush, who lost a critical fumble in the loss to the Texans.
“We’ve got to make sure we’re able to run the football,” Tice said. “We have to get the run game going. It all starts with that.
“We’ve got to make sure we protect the quarterback. And when the plays are there we’ve got to make the plays. It comes down to that.”
Tice has been saying that for a few weeks now, but consistency has been elusive. He sounds impatient.
“We’re nine games into this thing,” he said before Monday night’s game at San Francisco. “We’ve got to continue to work to get better and at some point hopefully we’ll put it all together and play an entire four quarters with some type of rhythm. We haven’t got there yet.”
Actually Brandon Marshall is there, but he’s waiting for someone, anyone, to join him.
“The truth is that I am the No. 1 receiver here,” Marshall said. “They brought me here to be the No. 1 guy. But, with that being said, we have players who can make plays, players who are more than capable of having big games like I’ve been having.
“When you look at the guys like Devin Hester, Earl Bennett and now getting Alshon (Jeffery) back, they’re more than capable. But it’s all on just taking advantage of the opportunity.”
While Marshall was among the league leaders with 67 catches for 904 yards and remains on pace to shatter franchise records in both categories, the remainder of the receiving corps has languished.
Hester had just five catches for 28 yards in the previous three games heading into the 49ers game. Bennett had eight catches for 78 yards. Jeffery hadn’t played since suffering a fractured hand in Week Five.
“Alshon was playing great ball when he went down with the injury,” head coach Lovie Smith said. “He’s another big, big target; another guy for Jason to throw to if it comes that. Another guy with some size to block if we lean more towards the run.”
According to Tice, the solution is basic.
“I learned a long time ago — I’m always quoting (former NFL head coach) Chuck Knox — you’ve got to make the plays that you’re afforded an opportunity to make,” Tice said, “and you can’t turn the ball over.”
Basic, maybe, but it hasn’t been easy for the Bears on offense.
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NFL Team Report – Chicago Bears – NOTES, QUOTES
UNDER THE RADAR: Henry Melton admits he enjoys his current status leading all NFC defensive tackles in fan voting for the Pro Bowl. He’s second on the team to Julius Peppers with five sacks and is first among the Bears’ linemen with 23 sacks.
BY THE NUMBERS: PK Robbie Gould, who ripped the condition of the grass at Soldier Field last week, was the third-most-accurate field goal kicker in NFL history (85.8 percent) entering Week 11
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NFL Team Report – Chicago Bears – STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
PLAYER NOTES
–WR Devin Hester had five catches for 28 yards in the three games before the Monday night matchup against the 49ers.
–WR Earl Bennett had eight catches for 78 yards in the three games before the Week 11 Monday night game.
–WR Brandon Marshall had at least six catches and at least 81 yards in each of the last six games entering Week 11.
–RB Matt Forte, who has at least 50 catches in each of his first four NFL seasons, has just 22 through nine games.
