Bears Blitz

Published by Matt Fitzgerald on September 25, 2014
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears have a dynamic, all-purpose running back in Matt Forte in their backfield, but they have been unusually unbalanced on offense to start the 2014 NFL season.

According to TeamRankings.com, Chicago has dialed up passes on a league-high 69.57 percent of its plays.

Forte hasn’t been able to get going on the ground since his strong Week 1 performance that featured eight receptions for 87 yards and 17 carries for 82 yards.

Since then, he does have 11 catches for 58 yards—much to the delight of fantasy owners in PPR leagues—but just 54 yards rushing on 25 attempts. However, the NFL on ESPN predicts Forte to bounce back in Week 4 against the Green Bay Packers:

A two-game stretch of adversity shouldn’t concern Forte’s fantasy owners too much. There is no doubting his status as a No. 1 back and one of the best in the NFL. Absent any formidable competition behind him and a favorable matchup on tap, he’s still in good shape.

Sunday’s game plan should feature a heavier dose of Forte carrying the rock as a means to keep the Packers’ high-octane passing attack led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers off Soldier Field.

Forte argues that the Bears have had to use audibles because opponents are focusing in on him, per ESPN.com’s Michael C. Wright:

It is frustrating during the game. It’s not that we’re not calling runs. We are calling run plays. But sometimes, the defenses are set up so that the run play we call is not going to work against that defense. Each week we’re continuing to work on it, and we’ve got to get everybody on the same page up front. Some guys that are stepping in for injured players, we have to get everybody on the right page where we’re blocking the right looks so if they change the personnel or change to a different defensive front, we know how to block that as well.

Green Bay has the sixth-ranked pass defense and the 30th-ranked rush defense, so it’s pretty easy to determine its weakness on that side of the ball. It is a weakness Forte is fully capable of exploiting.

Plus, running more often will take some of the burden off banged-up Bears receivers Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall, who have played through injuries the past two games.

Not to mention, it’s no secret quarterback Jay Cutler has a poor record against the NFC North rival Packers, per Matt Spiegel of 670 AM in Chicago:

Even if the Bears air it out anywhere near as often as they have, Forte is still getting a ton of targets in the passing game and making the most of them.

Fantasy owners have to be encouraged that Forte is averaging eight targets per game and has capitalized on 19 of the 24. Cutler is comfortable checking down to him, and coach Marc Trestman ought to scheme up alternative, creative designs to get the ball in Forte’s capable hands.

The blend of power, agility and hands Forte has is rare. With how much the Packers have struggled stopping the run, their focus may be geared toward fixing that. However, Chicago needs to pound the rock anyway, because Forte is elusive and physical enough to get to the second level of the Green Bay defense.

In a massive crossroads game in the division, the Bears need to—and will—set the tone at home with an emphatic, Forte resurgence.

Before getting to projected stats for Forte, bear in mind that he’s facing Carolina and Atlanta in the next two games. The Panthers just gave up 264 yards rushing to Pittsburgh in Week 3, while the Falcons have a lackluster defense across the board that’s currently 27th in total yards allowed.

Matt Forte’s Projected Week 4 Stats: 20 carries, 110 yards, 2 TD; 5 receptions, 40 yards

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