So far Barber

[madlithuanian]

That's pretty much exactly what I figured.

 

Link

 

[balta1701-A]

The key will be for offensive coordinator Mike Martz to pick up where he left off last season. It took some lumps in the first seven games and a come-to-Jesus meeting during the off week for the Bears to figure out what worked and what playbook pages needed to be shredded.

 

In the final nine games, the offense had more pass attempts than rushes just twice — both losses. Matt Forte took off, finishing with a career-high 1,069 yards. In six of the first seven games, he had 14 carries or less, making you wonder what could have been had the Bears been committed to the ground from the start.

 

"There is no telling," Forte said.

 

Coach Lovie Smith hasn't talked about getting off the bus running recently, but that might be the best plan of action. A series of factors add up before you evaluate last season.

 

The offensive line is clearly better run blocking now than it was at this point a year ago. Mike Tice said in that aspect the new lineup is a half-year ahead of last year's unit. The Bears rushed for 164 yards against the Bills while allowing nine sacks.

 

The personnel additions and subtractions look to fit a power running game better. Barber and new 6-foot-7, 260-pound tight end Matt Spaeth fit the mold. You can debate Greg Olsen's willingness to block all you want, he wasn't a plus in the run game. Now, 6-7, 267-pound Kellen Davis will have a bigger role.

 

"It enables you to do a lot of things," tight ends coach Mike DeBord said. "They're so big, they can get on the defensive ends to get outside and they're big where you can run the ball inside. It really enables you to run the ball both ways. We wanted to get a little bit better inside at the point of attack."

 

How's it all going to work? Pass protection for Jay Cutler must improve. There's no way around it. But if you examine what moves the front office has made, there are more than enough clues to determine the plan now, at least, is for a bigger emphasis on the ground game. Wide receivers will factor more in the passing game with Olsen gone, but the ground game is where it's at.

 

"That was our identity at the end and that is when we started playing well, when we were running the football," center Roberto Garza said. "Matt and Marion are great runners and with the big tight ends that we have and the line we'll be able to run the football. Obviously, we have to protect Jay as well."

 

Forte remains confident it will mesh for him and he noted the strength of his position as a whole.

 

"We can really do a lot of different things in the run game and I think they excel at run blocking because, you know, Chicago Bears football is running the ball," he said. "Being able to pound a defense the entire game takes a lot out of the defense and helps out the passing game as well.

 

"Coach Martz was just getting here and trying to get everything under his belt at the start of last season. Really, he was just trying to evaluate the talent and how we react to in-game situations. He knew we had a really good quarterback and some receivers. As far as the running game, I don't think he was as confident as we got in it later on in the season."

Biggs