Is this Shea McClellin's last chance?

[CBS7]

TO be dogged out if he doesn't nab enough receptions. Because he CAN'T RUN! It's a broken record, and yes, he is a good receiver, but the two backup running backs can actually Run THROUGH people. Forte being a good good receiver to make up for his lack of actually being a good Running back that can RUN!

Yo. What? This is the wrongest thing I've ever read

No...it's called being REAL and HONEST!

And I''l keep on going

Briggs is SLOW,

Weems should've been cut LAST SEASON

Why is Conte still here?,

our linebackers as a whole are still turrible,

And Finally,

Shea is REALLY Slow, has so lateral movement, putting him as a linebacker was a LAST DITCH EFFORT to salvage his career as a Bear because he simply can't do the job he was originally drafted to do.

OK?

The rest of the stuff just isn't far fetched. All of those players have had limited or no production in the last year or two.

Forte hasn't. You're wrong. Apparently our O-Line is so godly that a RB who "can't run" was 2nd in the league in rushing?

[Mister247]

Yo. What? This is the wrongest thing I've ever read

No...it's called being REAL and HONEST!

And I''l keep on going

Briggs is SLOW,

Weems should've been cut LAST SEASON

Why is Conte still here?,

our linebackers as a whole are still turrible,

And Finally,

Shea is REALLY Slow, has so lateral movement, putting him as a linebacker was a LAST DITCH EFFORT to salvage his career as a Bear because he simply can't do the job he was originally drafted to do.

OK?

The rest of the stuff just isn't far fetched. All of those players have had limited or no production in the last year or two.

Forte hasn't. You're wrong. Apparently our O-Line is so godly that a RB who "can't run" was 2nd in the league in rushing?

Forte can't force his way through people. He needs a BIG HOLE open for him. When he gets it then he's great. in the open field he's great.

But when there is no hole, especially against the good teams, and you need your running back to get those actual RUSHING yards, he STRUGGLES. That's why he's labeled a "Finesse Back". "Multi Purpose Back"

When his dump off pass gets locked down, then what? He's a good Stat Back but he's not a Real, All Out, Power Running Back that can break though contact.

You're looking too hard at his stats, yeah he put up nice numbers, but I think we will need a good #2 Back behind him for those Hard Running Yards. Goal Line, everyone knows it's a Run, 2 Yard TD Yards that Forte STRUGGLES with because he's a...

"Finesse" Running Back.

[BullHeaded]

I love this game... dismiss all stats if they don't prove some random point, but embrace them when they do.

If Forte rushed for under 1K yards, had less than 3.5 ypc and 3 TDs on the season... THEN AND ONLY THEN would stats matter.

But since he had 1,339 yards rushing last season (2nd in the NFL), 4.6 ypc, 9 rushing TDs (12 total) and 74 receptions for 594 yards... it would be lazy to just look at the stats and declare that he is a good running back.

I'll throw one bone out there though... one of the more recent phenomenon's in Chicago is having receivers that not only keep secondaries VERY honest with their big play ability, but they are cracker jack blockers downfield. It is a great environment for a running back. Still... c'mon. Forte is not a problem. And being "mutli-purpose" as a back is not a pejorative... it means your offense gets more pages in its playbook and that is an EXCELLENT thing.

[CBS7]

Using the "multi purpose back" label like its a bad thing...

He's called that because he can run, catch, and block. Yeah, running is included in there. He's not called that because he can't run. Then he wouldn't be a multi purpose back.

Averages over 100 yards from scrimmage a game for his entire career.
Biggest game of the season last year (week 17 vs GB) he goes for 157 total yards and 3 TDs.

But yeah, he's on his way out.

[NZB2323]

I agree that our linebackers are garbage, but Forte is a quality running back. He's above average at running, catching, and blocking. The run blocking he's had outside of his rookie year and last year was atrocious.

[Cliff Levingston]

Matt Bowen was on the B&B today and said he thought Shea looked more consistent in the last preseason games. That he understood his gap responsibility better and was there more often. He also went into a little detail about the SAM spot, about how in this defense, it's a dirty work position. It's about being where you're supposed to be, covering tight ends and taking on blocks while the Will is the one who gets more freedom to make and clean up plays, which is obviously Briggs. Cliff Levingston knew this already but it's worth pointing out when looking at Shea. Nick Roach was never a guy who stuffed the stat sheet but he was a nice solid player. That's what we hope to get out of Shea while being a better blitzer due to his pass-rush skills.

[patryk7754]

Forte only has success running the ball because of the Olines' massive holes? what about all the years he was running behind the worst oline in the NFL? He was still putting up the same numbers. And he's considered a multipurpose back because he can run catch and block. And as for the power back thing, there are numerous RBs that can't run through people but are still great RBs. You are wrong

[patryk7754]

Matt Bowen was on the B&B today and said he thought Shea looked more consistent in the last preseason games. That he understood his gap responsibility better and was there more often. He also went into a little detail about the SAM spot, about how in this defense, it's a dirty work position. It's about being where you're supposed to be, covering tight ends and taking on blocks while the Will is the one who gets more freedom to make and clean up plays, which is obviously Briggs. Cliff Levingston knew this already but it's worth pointing out when looking at Shea. Nick Roach was never a guy who stuffed the stat sheet but he was a nice solid player. That's what we hope to get out of Shea while being a better blitzer due to his pass-rush skills.

hopefully by week 3 or so he's at least a neutral impact guy. His performance can be the difference between our defense being like last year's or being good enough for us to be legit contenders. If he's still not playing well I think we should trade for a LB to put in.

[patryk7754]

Chances we put in Greene for game three as a starter?

[Mister247]

Using the "multi purpose back" label like its a bad thing...

He's called that because he can run, catch, and block. Yeah, running is included in there. He's not called that because he can't run. Then he wouldn't be a multi purpose back.

Averages over 100 yards from scrimmage a game for his entire career.
Biggest game of the season last year (week 17 vs GB) he goes for 157 total yards and 3 TDs.

But yeah, he's on his way out.

Being a Multi Purpose back means you can do Two or more things very well.

Forte can Cath the Ball well and run in the open field. But as for Rush Yards and breaking through holes...

NO!

Otherwise, there'd be no need for Micheal Bush to be here getting all the glory TD's that Forte couldn't.

[CBS7]

Using the "multi purpose back" label like its a bad thing...

He's called that because he can run, catch, and block. Yeah, running is included in there. He's not called that because he can't run. Then he wouldn't be a multi purpose back.

Averages over 100 yards from scrimmage a game for his entire career.
Biggest game of the season last year (week 17 vs GB) he goes for 157 total yards and 3 TDs.

But yeah, he's on his way out.

Being a Multi Purpose back means you can do Two or more things very well.

Forte can Cath the Ball well and run in the open field. But as for Rush Yards and breaking through holes...

NO!

Otherwise, there'd be no need for Micheal Bush to be here getting all the glory TD's that Forte couldn't.

Michael Bush the guy who averaged 3.1 yards a carry? For the first 11 weeks of the season he was averaging 1.6 yards a carry.
And "all the glory TDs" equals.. three?

And.. as patryk said.. what about all of Forte's productive years behind some of the worst OL's in the league?

Dude. Face it. You're wrong. This claim is ridiculous. Forte is a top 5 RB. You're probably the only one who thinks he's not a good runner. No one in the Bears organization shares your concerns. You must think an average runner would have went for 2500 yards on the Bears' last year?

[Mister247]

Using the "multi purpose back" label like its a bad thing...

He's called that because he can run, catch, and block. Yeah, running is included in there. He's not called that because he can't run. Then he wouldn't be a multi purpose back.

Averages over 100 yards from scrimmage a game for his entire career.
Biggest game of the season last year (week 17 vs GB) he goes for 157 total yards and 3 TDs.

But yeah, he's on his way out.

Being a Multi Purpose back means you can do Two or more things very well.

Forte can Cath the Ball well and run in the open field. But as for Rush Yards and breaking through holes...

NO!

Otherwise, there'd be no need for Micheal Bush to be here getting all the glory TD's that Forte couldn't.

Michael Bush the guy who averaged 3.1 yards a carry? For the first 11 weeks of the season he was averaging 1.6 yards a carry.
And "all the glory TDs" equals.. three?

And.. as patryk said.. what about all of Forte's productive years behind some of the worst OL's in the league?

Dude. Face it. You're wrong. This claim is ridiculous. Forte is a top 5 RB. You're probably the only one who thinks he's not a good runner. No one in the Bears organization shares your concerns. You must think an average runner would have went for 2500 yards on the Bears' last year?

I'm not talking bout last season. The season before last. YEAH, Bush was getting all the glory TD's.
Last Season, we improved our O-line, they opened nice holes. Forte did take advantage of that.

The way I see it, if there isn't a major hole, he can't produce in rushing on the level of a top tier back. If he could his contract situation wouldn't have taken as long as it did. Sure you and others as a fan will overlook his actual rushing ability and see his stats but, its primarily through his receiving unless there is a hole. He STILL can't convert on a 2-yard goal line play against a GOOD team without a hole being there unlike an AP or someone around that level.

This is a known fact to those who aren't just thirsty towards Forte. I Like him but I see it.
I Like Briggs, Big Fan, But he's SLOOOOOOOOOOOOOW out there. As much as I like him I can't deny it.
Forte has to HOPE that the O-Line can break open more holes for him.
GOOD Teams are gonna lock down that short dump off to Forte when the time comes and we are gonna need sum RUSHING YARDS! He has to produce or get help prodicing is all I was saying..

Otherwise, he'll be on that trade bubble.

[BullHeaded]

I'm not talking bout last season. The season before last.

Good... I get so sick of these people with this "what has he done for me lately". I agree with YOU! "What has he done for us between 12 and 24 months ago." That's what really matters. And when you think about it that way... we have NOTHING to worry about regarding our defense, but our offense stinks.

[clancyphile]

Shea McClellin was never an every-down DE. He's the guy you bring in on passing downs as a pass rusher, and he was, by some measures, one of the Bears' better pass rushers last season.

I've got no problem with him as a SAM LB on first and maybe second downs, but slip him in at DE for the pass-rushing, slide Jared Allen inside to a DT slot... or Young, or Houston and that works even better.

[patryk7754]

Matt forte (16 games): 1339 yards, 9 TDs, 4.6 YPC
Adrian Peterson (14 games) "Power Back":1266 yards, 10 TDs, 4.5 YPC
Frank Gore (16 games) Power Back: 1,128 yards, 9 TD, 4.1 YPC
M. Jones Drew (15 games) Power Back: 803 yards, 5 TDs, 3.4 YPC
Eddie Lacy (15 games) Power Back: 1178 yards, 11 TDs, 4.1 YPC


Based on these numbers I'd say Forte was pretty great (unless you think they all suck). And I compared Forte to the coveted power backs.

Plus, this doesn't include Forte's contribution to the passing game, which far surpasses any of these guys.

[CBS7]

Matt forte (16 games): 1339 yards, 9 TDs, 4.6 YPC
Adrian Peterson (14 games) "Power Back":1266 yards, 10 TDs, 4.5 YPC
Frank Gore (16 games) Power Back: 1,128 yards, 9 TD, 4.1 YPC
M. Jones Drew (15 games) Power Back: 803 yards, 5 TDs, 3.4 YPC
Eddie Lacy (15 games) Power Back: 1178 yards, 11 TDs, 4.1 YPC


Based on these numbers I'd say Forte was pretty great (unless you think they all suck). And I compared Forte to the coveted power backs.

Plus, this doesn't include Forte's contribution to the passing game, which far surpasses any of these guys.

RUSHING YARDS!

[RedBulls23]

So...Shea played well last night (got a sack). In general, the entire LB crew looked good for the most part. Sure had some miscues, but they made plays.

Hopefully they can build on it.