All week long, everyone at Halas Hall has been chiming in about the need to run the ball more
By James Neveau ••
In what has become a recurring theme for the Chicago Bears, everybody from Marc Trestman to Aaron Kromer is talking about running the football to provide "balance" to the team’s offense, but at this point, it’s hard to imagine the mantra as anything but lip service.
After all, this is the team that abandoned the run immediately against teams like the Green Bay Packers, and despite the (almost) indisputable fact that Matt Forte is the team’s best player, they all too often take the ball out of his hands and limit him to screen passes and the occasional draw play on third and long.
Against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night, the Bears will get the chance to prove that they’re willing to put the football where their collective mouths are. The Cowboys come into the game as one of the better defenses in the NFL, but they were run all over last week against the Philadelphia Eagles. Marc Sanchez utilized his receivers well, with Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper playing key roles, but the big blows came when LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles would get their hands on the football, as they combined for 191 all-purpose yards in the blowout victory.
If the Bears want to have similar success against Dallas, then Forte is going to have to be involved in all facets of the game. Yes, screen passes will have to be part of that equation, as they are in any Trestman game plan, but Forte will also have to run the ball off tackle. The Cowboys had a tough time keeping contain on McCoy around the edges of the formation, and Forte has the kind of evasiveness and speed to make life similarly painful for “America’s Team.”
All it will take to exploit that vulnerability is a willingness on the part of the Bears to run the football. There is reason for concern to that effect, as Chicago only ran the ball eight times against the Detroit Lions, but if there is a week where the run game should be part of the overall plan, this is it. The Cowboys’ offense is going to make some hay against a beat-up Bears defense, and so keeping the ball on offense will be a big key to success for Chicago. That means running the ball, and that means that Trestman has to finally follow through on his threats to use Forte more.
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In this Sunday Jan. 30, 2005, file photo, then-Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon pauses during a cabinet meeting. Sharon, 85, was in a coma since 2006 when a devastating stroke incapacitated him at the height of his political power. His condition took a turn for the worse, hospital officials said in early January. Israeli media reported his death on Jan. 11, 2014. Click through to see photos from Sharon's military and political career.
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Sharon joined Jewish guerrillas at age 14 to fight against British rule in Palestine and went on to fight in Israel's war of independence. In 1948 he fought as a junior officer in the battle of Latru, where his platoon was destroyed, and he was seriously injured. Sharon, center, is shown as a young officer surrounded by comrades in Israel, on December 1, 1956, in the wake of the Suez Crisis.
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Sharon, by then a major general, is shown with Israeli Prime Minister Menahem Begin on the Southern Front of the Six Day War in the Sinai Desert, June 16, 1967. Sharon was hailed as a hero in Israel after the Israeli air force destroyed Egypt's warplanes on the first day of the conflict.
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Defense Minister Moshe Dayan (L) and then-Maj. Gen. Ariel Sharon, second from right, who suffered a slight head wound, visit a Israeli bridgehead on the West Bank of the Suez Canal with other staff officers, as an Israeli offensive was reportedly under way, Oct. 18, 1973. The rest of the men are unidentified. In July of the same year, Sharon resigned from the military and retired to raise sheep and lambs on a ranch in the northern Negev desert region.
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Sharon was recalled to active military service for the Yom Kippur War in October 1973. Later that year Sharon was elected to the Knesset (the Israeli parliament) for the Likud. And in 1981, Prime Minister Menahem Begin appointed Sharon minister of defense. He is seen here with U.S. Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger (L) as they review the troops at an arrival ceremony at the Pentagon, Nov. 30, 1981. Col. Don Phillips, commander of the troops, is at center.
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As minister of defense, Sharon supervised the evacuation of Israeli settlers in Sinai and the return of the territory to Egypt. He is seen here meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (L) on Jan. 19, 1982 to discuss Israel's withdrawal from the region.
In September 1982 militia members of a right-wing Maronite Lebanese group allied with Israel committed massacres at the Sabra and Shatila Palestinian refugee camps in Israeli-occupied Beirut. Some of Sharon’s enemies dubbed him the “butcher of Beirut” and widespread public outrage prompted the Israeli government to launch an investigation. A report issued in 1983 criticized Sharon, who was found “indirectly responsible” for the massacres by failing to prevent them. He was declared unfit to continue as defense minister. In February 1983 Sharon resigned. Sharon (foreground) rides an armored personnel carrier on a tour of Israeli units advancing to the outskirts of Beirut, Lebanon, June 15, 1982, during Israeli occupation.
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Ariel Sharon speaks to reporters outside U.S. Federal Court in New York on Friday, Jan. 19, 1985 after a jury found in his favor on the second major issue, falsity, in Sharon's $50 million libel suit against Time Inc. A federal jury ruled that Time magazine did not knowingly or recklessly publish a false story linking Sharon with a massacre of Palestinians.
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Sharon, who was Foreign Minister at the time, stands near but does not look at, or shake hands with, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat at Wye Plantation, Maryland, in this Oct. 21, 1998 photo. Before becoming a candidate, Sharon proudly boasted he had never shaken hands with Arafat, and called the Palestinian leader a "murderer and a liar" in an interview with the New Yorker magazine.
Israeli security men guard opposition leader Ariel Sharon, center, as he leaves the Temple Mount compound in east Jerusalem's Old City, in this Sept. 28, 2000 file photo. Sharon, as an opposition leader, visited the Temple Mount to emphasize Israel's claim on solidarity. Palestinians say the visit triggered the second Intifada. Sharon's supporters said Palestinians had already planned the uprising.
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Ariel Sharon, the Likud party leader and front-runner in the 2001 campaign was elected as Israel's prime minister until 2006. As prime minister, he orchestrated a unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and from four settlements in the West Bank.
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President Bush shares a laugh with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as they meet in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, June 26, 2001. This was the second meeting between the two leaders since Sharon was elected earlier that year. Bush asked Sharon to help bolster a fragile cease-fire to set the stage for peace negotiations in the Middle East.
A man walks by a billboard with a picture of Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon next to a slogan that reads in Hebrew "a strong leader for peace" outside Tel Aviv, Wednesday Nov. 30, 2005. Ariel Sharon left Likud over opposition to the Gaza withdrawal and formed the centrist party Kadima ahead of elections in March. He fell into coma in January following a massive stroke.
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Washington Nationals' Yan Gomes and Daniel Hudson celebrate after Game 7 of the baseball World Series against the Houston Astros Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, in Houston. The Nationals won 6-2 to win the series.
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Manager Dave Martinez #4 of the Washington Nationals hoists the Commissioners Trophy after defeating the Houston Astros 6-2 in Game Seven to win the 2019 World Series in Game Seven of the 2019 World Series at Minute Maid Park on Oct. 30, 2019 in Houston, Texas.
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Tiger Woods hits a shot out of a bunker on the 18th hole during the final round of the Zozo Championship PGA Tour at the Accordia Golf Narashino country club in Inzai, Japan, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019. Woods won his 82nd career PGA Tour title, matching a 54-year-old record held by Sam Snead.
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Allyson Felix competes in 4x400 metres mixed relay race final during the 17th World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar on Sept. 29, 2019.
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DOHA, QATAR - SEPTEMBER 29: Allyson Felix of the United States reacts after setting a new world record in the 4x400 Metres Mixed Relay during day three of 17th IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019 at Khalifa International Stadium on September 29, 2019 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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Wilbert London, Michael Cherry, Courtney Okolo and Allyson Felix of the United States pose after setting a new world record in the 4x400 Metres Mixed Relay during day three of 17th IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019 at Khalifa International Stadium on Sept. 29, 2019, in Doha, Qatar.
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Rafael Nadal of Spain kisses the trophy after his win over Daniil Medvedev of Russia during the men's Singles Finals match at the 2019 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on Sept. 8, 2019.
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Bianca Andreescu of Canada celebrates with the championship trophy alongside runner up Serena Williams of the United States during the trophy presentation ceremony after the Women's Singles final on day thirteen of the 2019 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Sept. 7, 2019, in the Queens borough of New York City.
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Serena Williams returns a shot to Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. Williams beat out Svitolina to advance to the finals - her fourth out of six past tournaments.
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Coco Gauff wipes away tears while talking to Naomi Osaka, of Japan, after Osaka defeated Gauff during the third round of the U.S. Open tennis tournament Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019, in New York.
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Coco Gauff of the United States in action against Timea Babos of Hungary in the Women's Singles Round Two match on Louis Armstrong Stadium at the 2019 US Open Tennis Tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 29th, 2019 in Flushing, Queens, New York City.
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Serena Williams hits a backhand against Maria Sharapova of Russia in the first round of the U.S. Open in Arthur Ashe Stadium, Aug. 26, 2019 in New York City. Williams played a 6-1, 6-1 game against Sharapova for their first match at the Open.
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Serena Williams shakes hands with Maria Sharapova of Russia after beating her in the first round of the U.S. Open in Arthur Ashe Stadium, Aug. 26, 2019 in New York City. Williams played a 6-1, 6-1 game against Sharapova for their first match at the Open.
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Roger Federer celebrates his victory over Sumit Nagal of India in the first round of the U.S. Open in Arthur Ashe Stadium, Aug. 26, 2019 in New York City.
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President Donald Trump presents the Medal of Freedom to retired Boston Celtic Bob Cousy in the Oval Office at the White House on Aug. 22, 2019 in Washington, DC. Mr. Cousy is credited helping the Boston Celtics win six National championships.
Simone Biles competes on the balance beam during the 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships Aug. 9, 2019, in Kansas City, Missouri. The Olympic gold medalist snagged her sixth U.S. women's gymnastics title, cinching top points on the floor, vault and balance beam for a weekend total of 118.500 points before capping it off with a historic triple-double flip.
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Atlanta Falcons linebacker Jermaine Grace (53) runs after intercepting a pass thrown by Miami Dolphins quarterback Josh Rosen (3) during the first half of a preseason NFL football game Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Miami Gardens, Fla.
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Caeleb Dressel of the United States celebrates as he sets a new world record of 49.50 seconds after competing in the Men's 100m Butterfly Semifinal on day six of the Gwangju 2019 FINA World Championships at Nambu International Aquatics Centre on July 26, 2019 in Gwangju, South Korea.
Simone Biles performs her balance beam routine during the GK US Classic gymnastics meet in Louisville, Kentucky, Saturday, July 20, 2019.
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays his shot from the sixth tee during the first round of the 148th Open Championship held on the Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 18, 2019 in Portrush, United Kingdom.
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Novak Djokovic of Serbia wins the men's singles final match against Roger Federer of Switzerland (not seen) at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships 2019 held on Day 13 held at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 14, 2019 in London.
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Simona Halep of Romania with the trophy after her victory against Serena Williams of the United States during the Ladies Singles Final on Centre Court during the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club at Wimbledon on July 13, 2019 in London.
Carli Lloyd, center, and members of the U.S. women's national soccer team accept the award for best team at the ESPY Awards on Wednesday, July 10, 2019, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
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Host Tracy Morgan speaks onstage during The 2019 ESPYs at Microsoft Theater on July 10, 2019, in Los Angeles, California.
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(L-R) Odell Beckham Jr. and Gabrielle Union speak onstage during The 2019 ESPYs at Microsoft Theater on July 10, 2019, in Los Angeles, California.
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General view of Progressive Field during the pregame ceremony prior to 90th MLB All-Star Game at Progressive Field on Tuesday, July 9, 2019, in Cleveland, Ohio.
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J.D. Martinez #28 of the Boston Red Sox runs during the second inning of the 2019 Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Progressive Field on July 9, 2019, in Cleveland, Ohio.
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United States' Megan Rapinoe, center, holds the trophy as she celebrates with teammates after they defeated the Netherlands 2-0 in the Women's World Cup final soccer match at the Stade de Lyon in Decines, outside Lyon, France, Sunday, July 7, 2019.
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Amanda Nunes of Brazil knocks out Holly Holm of the United States during their UFC Womenu2019s Bantamweight Title bout at T-Mobile Arena on July 06, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Andy Murray of Great Britain and Serena Williams of The United States celebrate during their Mixed Doubles first round match against Andreas Mies of Germany and Alexa Guarachi of Chile during day six of The Championships - Wimbledon 2019 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 6, 2019, in London.
