Arkush: Don't Expect Running To Continue
The Bears' offense featured more running plays than it has in previous games this season. While many believe this is a result of pressure from Lovie Smith and Jerry Angelo to run the ball more, it's more than likely the result of a single game focus.
"It happened for the same reason it happened against Carolina," Hub Arkush said on the Danny Mac Show when talking about the additional running plays. "Mike Martz isn't stupid, that was the way to win the football game."
LISTEN: Hub Arkush On The Danny Mac Show
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"Anybody who thinks this is going to carry through to Minnesota is kidding themselves...If the Viking defense shows up to play at all, and you try to run the ball 50% of the time, with this offense, you're going to get shutout."
The excitement felt by some towards the running focus must be tempered by the production that resulted from those additional running plays. Hub talked about where exactly the blame falls.
"70-30. 70% offensive line and 30% [running] backs. Maybe more offensive line. Did you see them push anyone off the ball? Was it a question of the backs showing poor vision and missing open holes? No. You still have guys getting pushed into the backfield and pushed into gaps. And the offensive line isn't good enough [to commit to the run,] and that's kind of where they're at right now.
"And what's really disturbing to me is that when you have a bad offensive line, the one thing you try and get away with is say 'let's run the ball 30 or 40 times. Let's make these guys feel better about themselves. Let's let them go punch somebody in the mouth.' And [the coaches] let them try to punch the worst run defense in the league in the mouth [on Sunday] and they didn't get it done."
