The Best Thing Since Sweetness
by Sean Heffernan
The Bears trade for Jay Cutler has made this year the most anticipated season in the organization's recent history, but although having a top quarterback will make a big difference in the Bears' passing game much of the team's success this year will fall upon the shoulders of second year running back Matt Forté. The 24-year-old from Slidell, Louisiana is coming off last season where he lead all rookies in total yards from scrimmage as well as breaking the Bears team record for yards from scrimmage by a rookie that Gale Sayers had held for 43 years. If Forté can put up the same kind of numbers both rushing and receiving as he did last year it will make Jay Cutler's life a lot easier under center.
In the pre-season the former-Tulane running back has scored three touchdowns including a 32 yard scamper against the New York Giants. Forté took the hand off from Cutler to the left, realized a Giant defender had over pursued leaving a hole in the defense, and instantly hit the crease at full speed leaving the defense unable to even to get a hand on him. The touchdown run was a great example of the intelligence with which Forté plays the game. Against Jay Cutler's old team the Denver Broncos Forté showed his recieving attributes catching a 6 yard touchdown out of the backfield.
Before the diaster that was Cedric Benson the Bears had three years of success with Thomas Jones in the backfield, but decided to let him go after Chicago's 2006 Super Bowl run. Jones went on to rush for over 1000 yards the next years with the New York Jets. However, Forté offers a skill set different from the find the hole and run hard style of Thomas Jones. Forté can make guys miss, catch the ball, see the field, break tackles. Forté doesn't have the cutting ability of Barry Sanders or Ladainian Tomlison, but has a keen sense of when he should change direction none the less.
A second round draft pick in 2008, Forté went much later in the draft likely because he sat out most of his entire junior year with an injury and he played at smaller school in Tulane. Forté spent four years in college and graduated with a degree in Fiance (Not exactly a B.A. in basket-weaving). In high school he was a honor student at Slidell High School. Click here to see Forte explain how to eat Cajun food. A Cajun man at heart who loves fishing with his Dad and eating his Mother's gumbo, Forté like Walter Payton is the type of player that teammates love playing with: confident yet unassuming. It's amazing that the Bears got a guy with their second round draft pick in 2008 who's a quality person with the potential to be one of the premier running backs in the NFL. He has the makings of becoming the best all-around back since the days of "Sweetness" and the 85' Bears. Most of the limelight will fall on Cutler this year, but the soft spoken Matt Forté could truly be the pivotal component in the Bears' success in 09.