Matt Forte is a workhorse. He proved it at Tulane and he's proving it for the Bears. Forte is a fantasy owner's dream. He is a true feature back and doesn't come off the field in short-yardage or third-down situations. Forte has appeared on the injury report just once in the first five weeks. He was listed as probable in Week 2 with "ankle soreness."

 

But since the Bears' season opener, Forte's yards-per-carry average has dropped sharply. On his last 61 totes, Forte holds a Cedric Benson-like 2.7 YPC. In Forte's last two games, he's mustered only 2.3 yards a carry. And in one of those contests he was going against the Lions.

 

As a senior for the 4-8 Green Wave, Forte carried the ball 361 times in 12 games. That's an average of 31 carries per week. Forte then had to prepare for January's Senior Bowl, where he took MVP honors. Less than a month later came the NFL Combine, where Forte was clocked at 4.46 in the forty-yard dash after an excrutiatingly intense three weeks of preparation.

 

Through five weeks this season, Forte ranks second in the NFL in carries. No player in the league has touched the football as many times on offense. That's awesome and all, for now.

But there has got to be concern that Forte is headed for a rookie wall. The second-round pick's rapid descent in per-play productivity is alarming. And like a player on a "short week" preparing for a Thursday night game after playing the prior Sunday, Forte is essentially playing on a "short season" after following up a massive senior-year workload with a months-long preparation period for the NFL Draft.

 

We saw rookie breakdowns happen late last year with Marshawn Lynch and Adrian Peterson, and they didn't take nearly the beating Forte has early this season. The Bears are also returning slide-and-glide rookie left tackle Chris Williams from injury, and his lack of upper-body strength could be a downgrade for the run game once he surpasses John St. Clair on the depth chart. The Bears also have yet to begin their annual two-game set with the Vikings.

The answer is. Look at the tape, then look at the offensive line, then tell me what holes you saw that Forte could run through compared to what he had going for him the first 2 weeks of the season. Matt Forte is a stud, he's going to be a super star. This isn't his fault, this is a simple case of a running back not having any holes to run through. The line is terrible which is no surprise, that's why we drafted Chris Williams.

agreed , Forte needs a line to run behind, they are getting pushed back into holes. It was evident in the philly game, and detroit did it as well. They seem to do well against the cover 2 D's, But when they go against weight in the front four, they seem to buckle. MY hope is Williams gets into playing shape and St Clair goes to guard on the left side. That should help.

You guys got it. The OL is bad, run blocking wise.

 

He just has no holes. I'd love to see more draws as it seems like when we run those, there are holes.

Can you start this thread every week?

 

Forte with a good start in the 2nd half. TD!