Chicago Bears Have Makings of Dangerous Offensive Attack

At the end of the 2008 season, things were looking great for the Denver Broncos–at least on paper. In one of their ‘reloading’ years, they managed to go a respectable but very disappointing 8-8, and that was with virtually no defense to speak of. With a new head coach in Josh McDaniels coming in, it appeared as though all he would need to do was focus the team’s draft on that side of the ball, and everything would be well once more in Broncos country.

The reason this looked like such a simple formula was because the cornerstones of the Broncos franchise at that point in time were Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler and Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall. The two youngsters looked like they would give the Broncos a potent passing tandem for years to come, and things were really looking up for a talented Broncos offense.

Long story short, Cutler never played another down for the Broncos after 2008, and Marshall was traded after the 2009 season. The two former Broncos were finally reunited this offseason, four years later, with the Chicago Bears. Cutler was acquired by the Bears in the Spring of 2009, and Marshall was traded from Miami to Chicago on the first day of the new league year in 2012.

Now, Cutler is 29 and entering the prime of his career, and Marshall is now 28 and these guys arguably haven’t played better football than they did last year (sans injuries). Marshall caught 81 passes on a primarily run-oriented team in which he was the clear top target, and managed to set a career high in a season with 15 yards per reception. Cutler had the Bears playing Super Bowl caliber football despite having virtually no targets in the passing game that would even play slot for another NFL team.

The Bears have since drafted Alshon Jeffery along with trading for Marshall, and they have the makings of a very potent offensive attack. Cutler was injured for much of last season because he was constantly getting hit and the offensive line wasn’t doing its job protecting him, but Cutler is now in a much more favorable offense for his skill set (goodbye, Martz) and the Bears have also added another very big-time weapon in the running game with former Oakland Raiders running back Michael Bush.

If and when the Bears get running back Matt Forte back in the fray (and they will) I think this offense will undoubtedly be able to keep up with some of the others in the division (Packers, Lions).

As I stated before, Cutler spent a lot of time on his back last year, and he was obviously frustrated with the coaching style of Mike Martz. The two were visibly not on the same page, during games, which is absolutely pitiful for an NFL franchise. One of Cutler’s stipulations for new Denver coach Josh McDaniels at the time was that he retain former Broncos assistant Jeremy Bates, who is now with Chicago. Bates will run an offense similar to the one that you’ve seen in Washington and Denver over the last number of years, getting Cutler outside the pocket and utilizing his athleticism and strong arm on deeper passes.

The Bears likely will be without Johnny Knox this season, who should hesitate to step on the field again after that horrific injury a year ago, but they have an overall improved arsenal of offensive weapons, starting with Marshall and Jeffery at the receiver position. Alshon Jeffery has come to be extremely underrated, and if he stays in shape, he is going to be a heck of a headache for defenders to deal with because of his ability to win jump ball situations and use his body to make big plays.

Despite his similar size, Brandon Marshall is more of a possession receiver and a guy who makes plays after the catch. The Bears will likely try to get him the ball in space and allow him to use his vision and strength after the catch. The passing game in Chicago is going to be deadly at the running back position as well, with Michael Bush and Matt Forte also very good receivers out of the backfield.

Aside from the tight end position, the Bears’ skill positions appear to be loaded going into 2012, and Jay Cutler and company could be poised for a huge year if they stay healthy.