Durkin: Bears Offense Not Sure What They Do Well
By Dan Durkin-
(CBS) It's unusual to think that seven games into the season, a Bears offense that brought back all 11 starters on a unit that ranked second in the league in scoring last year is still searching for an identity.
So I posed a simple question to running back Matt Forte about what the Bears do best on offense, which prompted a long pause before he responded.
"That's a good question," Forte said. "I don't know right now. We kind of need to figure that out."
Just kind of.
To be clear, this isn't Forte's issue whatsoever. With the framework already laid last year and an entire offseason to self-scout and prepare for the season, one would assume Chicago coach Marc Trestman and offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer would have their unit further along than they are currently.
Instead, the Bears are scoring below league-average.
After Forte gave the question some more thought, he hit upon the key word -- balance.
"This offense works best when it's balanced and the run and the pass are feeding off each other," Forte said. "So, I think as of right now, just to be balanced and be effective in both."
Of Chicago's three wins, its most definitive was a 14-point victory at Atlanta, where the Bears struck their best balance of the season, throwing the ball on a season-low 57 percent of the plays. This game also produced quarterback Jay Cutler's highest passing yardage total as a member of the Bears (381).
The money may say the offense should run through the right arm of Cutler, but the numbers suggest otherwise.
The Bears throw the ball 63 percent of the time, which is the sixth-highest rate in the league, lumping them in with teams like Raiders, Falcons, Jaguars, Raiders, Bucs and Saints, teams that are forced to throw because they're constantly trailing in games. That profile doesn't fit the Bears.
Of the 10 teams that throw the ball on 60 percent or more of their offensive plays, only one has a winning record, the 4-3 Buffalo Bills.
The Patriots are giving up 126 rushing yards per game this season. If the Bears want to give their offense the best chance to succeed and keep Tom Brady on the sidelines, they must commit to the running game early and often.
Dan Durkin covers the Bears for CBSChicago.com and is a frequent contributor to 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter at @djdurkin.