With every attempt, Matt Forte’s confidence grows in his club’s zone-blocking schemes, which allow the running back to showcase some of his best attributes. Over his past four quarters, Forte has averaged 10.7 yards per attempt, and he finished with 76 yards on six attempts Friday in the Chicago Bears' 34-26 win over the Oakland Raiders. “What makes the zone blocking good is those linemen get push off the ball,†Forte said. “When they can do that, I can be patient and just sit back and read the blocking. So [while] there’s a place where the play is designed to go, you can just use your vision. If I want to, I can cut it all the way back. Or I can just pick a hole. That’s what makes it so nice.†Success with the rushing attack also tends to open up the passing attack. Forte rushed for 15 yards on three attempts during Chicago’s first offensive series Friday. On the first play of the second series, Bears quarterback Jay Cutler popped up and hit Forte on a short pass to the right side, and the running back romped 32 yards for a touchdown. “What’s most impressive is the blocks he got on the perimeter on that touchdown by [receiver] Alshon [Jeffery] and [tight end] Martellus [Bennett],†Bears coach Marc Trestman said. “Matt’s an all-purpose player. He’s a three-down player. He can run. He’s a very good pass receiver, and it just helps spread the field even more with the players that we have.†Cutler called Forte “scary out there†on the field. “I think he’s getting more and more comfortable with the running lanes, the blocking schemes we’re putting him in,†Cutler said. Source: ESPN.com
This offense was humming the other night. But like I said in a previous thread, it was vs the sorry Raiders. At least Cutler isn't crapting the bed so far.
It's way too early, of course, but Forte's seeing some holes he didn't have last year. Even against the lowly Raiders, the OL athleticism is obvious with the young blood. This unit moves the LOS so far & Forte's happy feet he was acquiring didn't rear it's ugly head. This year is going to be better no matter where this OL ends up.
