Hoping they'll catch on
Cutler, Bears need depleted corps
of WRs to step up
One by one the Bears receivers went through position drills Thursday morning, sprinting forward, cutting back to the ball and securing a catch.
First Cameron Meredith, then Josh Bellamy, Deonte Thompson and Marquess Wilson.
This is not how it's supposed to be. Not again.
But here the Bears are at 2-7, coming off their worst loss of the season. Top receiver prospect Kevin White is on injured reserve and likely out for the season, and now Alshon Jeffery is suspended four games for a performance-enhancing drug violation.
Oh, and Pro Bowl guard Kyle Long is out for the year with a sprained right ankle.
How in the name of Harlon Hill are the Bears going to remain a functional offense for the next month, starting with Sunday's road game against the Giants?
“I've talked to the receivers and we'll try to rally the troops,” quarterback Jay Cutler said. “It's going to take more than just me to rally. It takes the whole group to make this thing happen, and the guys in the locker room know that.”
They know because many of them were here last season, when the Bears were similarly short-handed.
After all, who could forget their magical comeback against the Chiefs, when they turned a 17-3 halftime deficit into an 18-17 victory? With Jeffery, White and slot receiver Eddie Royal out with injuries on that sunny October day at Arrowhead Stadium, Cutler completed touchdown passes to Wilson and running back Matt Forte in the final 3 minutes, 15 seconds to escape with a win.
The game plan featured many short throws and some tough running by Forte, and the defense was mostly very good in coverage. That's the type of formula the Bears must duplicate if they're to avoid drowning over the final seven games.
“The next guy has to step up,” offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains said. “And we have a pretty good feel for what those guys did, what the rotation will be, how it'll look and the things that those guys do well. We'll try to put those guys in those spots.”
That starts with Meredith, the second-year receiver from Illinois State who joined the starting lineup after White broke his left leg in Week 4. Now Meredith's opportunity is even bigger, as is the need for him to produce.
In the three games since he totaled 20 catches for 243 yards and a touchdown in Weeks 5 and 6, Meredith has just three receptions for 86 yards, 50 of which came on the Hail Mary touchdown before halftime Sunday.
“He's tall, he's angular, he has great catching radius,” receivers coach Curtis Johnson said recently. “You see him make all kinds of catches. You love what he does. And he can get in and out of cuts, probably one of the better guys we have doing those types of things.”
Cutler has noticed how Meredith has taken more initiative with his development this season, doing some extra field work on his own, for example.
“He has become more consistent,” Cutler said. “I think he puts more pressure on himself. He's trying to be more of a pro.”
Royal could offer a veteran presence and help steady the offense by playing on the outside. But he continues to be limited by a toe injury.
Wilson is another question mark. He was activated this week from the physically-unable-to-perform list after breaking his left foot in June. It's difficult to project what the Bears can get out of him in his first game, but he at least has experience with Cutler.
And speaking of the quarterback, Sunday's loss was a reminder that the offense's functionality begins with him. He threw two interceptions and lost two fumbles, which put the Bears in a hole that got deeper as the game progressed.
“Number one is ball security,” coach John Fox said. “That has been an emphasis this week.”
How much of the game is put on Cutler's right shoulder will be worth monitoring. The Bears relied heavily on the running game last season while the receiving corps was short-handed, and this season Jordan Howard continues to find holes and gain yards after contact.
He is averaging 5.3 yards per carry, and his 605 rushing yards in eight games ranks second among rookies behind the Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott.
“We're obviously going to miss Al,” Cutler said, “but we've been in this situation before. We know how to use those pieces. We know what those guys do well. And bottom line, they're going to have to make some plays for us.”
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