Mid-Season Report: Johnny Knox

There have been few consistent bright spots on the Bears offense this season, but Johnny Knox has stood out. His big-play ability has helped the Bears win, even in games when the rest of the offense was pitiful.

Knox's big numbers come from the fact that he is fast and gets downfield to haul in big bombs from Jay Cutler. In every game but one, he has receptions of at least 25 yards. He's averaging 19.9 yards per catch. He's also lent a hand in kickoff returns, racking up 102 yards in four returns. He has scored only one touchdown, but that's not a surprise when you consider how awful the Bears are in the red zone.

His best game came in week three against the Packers. Not only did Knox make four catches for 94 yards, he also had two big kickoff returns, adding 47 yards. Though he was practically non-existent in the game against the Panthers -- one catch for 14 yards -- he wasn't used because the Bears relied on the run in that game.

One of the biggest things that Knox brings to the Bears offense is reliability. If Cutler gets it near him, Knox will catch the ball. He isn't perfect, as he and Cutler seem to get their wires crossed on routes at least once a game, but Knox is one of the few Bears receivers who can run deep routes and come away with the ball. In his second year in the NFL, that's an impressive feat.