With the apparent proliferation of weapons on that side of the ball, the Bears offense in 2012 was expected to be capable of carrying the defense if need be this season.
It didnt happen. It needs to now.
When the defense and special teams were scoring more touchdowns than opposing offenses were, the urgency wasnt there. It is now.
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We have to find a way, said quarterback Jay Cutler. Weve got to score more points. We got to be more efficient. Third down has been getting better. First down has been getting better. Red zone when we get in there weve done a good job.
We just got to get more points, whatever it takes. We missed a few opportunities against Seattle. We cant afford that right now.
Working without a net
They couldnt afford it over the last four games, either. But despite the defenses problems vs. San Francisco and Seattle, that is in large part why the Bears lost three of those four.
News
When the offense sputteredactually the 2012 offense has rarely not sputteredthe defense and special teams were there to pick up the season. Now that the defense is reeling with major injuries, and special teams failing go reach an end zone since Corey Woottons touchdown with a blocked punt, the Bears hopes for reaching the postseason rest with the offense.
At this time, this is when you want to start peaking, said wide receiver Brandon Marshall, the only fully functioning part of the offense all season. Whatever weve been averaging, this time of year you want to take it up a notch.
Scoring more has been a mission for us all year. Sometimes, its been a struggle. So hopefully, we get it done because this is the perfect time to do it heading into the playoffs.
If the Bears dont, they likely will be watching the playoffs rather than playing in them.
Short hitters, missing weapons
A problem has become the inability of the offense to make its own job easier with an occasional big-yardage play.
The team that purports to get off buses running is doing it poorly. The Bears have had exactly six runs longer than 10 yards in the last four games. Three of those have been quarterback scrambles on broken plays, one by Jason Campbell.
In the last four games the Bears have just two completions longer than 20 yards.
In those games, the Bears longest scoring play has been 13 yards (twice).
The easy point blame is (always) the offensive line. Its had three different starting fives in the last three games, with center Roberto Garza and left tackle JMarcus Webb the only players to start the last three games and all 12 so far in 2012.
But the line allowed just one sack to Minnesota and none to Seattle (the one credited sack came when Cutler tripped dropping back). The running backs averaged 2.4 yards per carry against Seattle in the first half and 3.8 in the second.
I thought the last two weeks felt good offensively, said coordinator Mike Tice. I really did. Yeah, wed like to score more points, but were playing good defenses, too.