What a rush: Forte makes case on field for new deal

When you join Hall of Famers Walter Payton and Gale Sayers as the only Bears running backs ever to rush for 200 yards in a game, you’re big-time in Chicago.

The Chicago Sun Times highlighted Matt Forte‘s career-high 205-yard game against the Panthers with a distinct Chi-Town headline on its cover that WWE fans can certainly appreciate.

Speaking of appreciation, Forte has made it clear that he’s not feeling it from Bears GM Jerry Angelo. Forte isn’t happy about playing out the final year of his rookie contract for $600,000. He wants a new deal — sooner rather than later. Can you blame him?

Forte is second in the NFL only to Wes Welker for yards from scrimmage with 634 (by one yard, too). His value to the Bears, with their crappy offensive line and correlating inconsistency from QB Jay Cutler, is ridiculous — definitely more than $600,000. Still, Forte said Monday that negotiations have been dead between his camp and the Bears.

“Currently we haven’t really been talking,” Forte said on ESPN 1000-AM. “After some of the games my agent has called them a few times, but no progress has really been made since then. But hopefully today or this week they will be talking again.”

Based on his comments Monday on “Around the League”, Heath Evans probably can’t understand, either, what’s taking so long for Angelo to pony up the cash.

“Any team in the league would die to have this back,” Evans said. “He catches the ball, he protects his quarterback, he understands route combinations, he understands how he fits into each and every play. You watch this kid play on a Sunday afternoon, he knows what’s going on. And that’s rare.

“A lot of backs just want to get the ball and take off. This kid studies the game. He knows what he’s seeing, and he knows how to exploit defenses. … This offense, this defense, this team is tied to his success.”

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The Small Steps Will Lead March at Soldier Field

There are several close calls this week as far as who people will choose in the win column. You have showdowns with teams like Tennessee who have the #1 defense in the league against a team on the rise like Cleveland. The Detroit Lions could go either way as they head to Dallas to face a Cowboys team that has pulled off some incredible, 4th quarter victories. But what about the match up between Carolina and Chicago? I mentioned in my last article that the percentage is drastically in favor of the Bears, but the numbers lean a little more the Panthers way. What will help the Cats come away with a victory in this one?

There are a few factors that give analysts a safety net to fall back on in choosing Chicago for the win. The first is without a doubt the defense. A team that includes players like Brian Urlacher, Julius Peppers, and Henry Melton will cause plenty of problems for any offense (refer to Atlanta from game one). Another factor is experience. These guys have seen a Super Bowl in recent years and have plenty of tricks up their sleeves that will shake a young team on the road. The last factor is the home field advantage. For a team that hasn’t won an away game since that crushing 41-9 victory against the New York Giants in 2009, playing the Bears in Chicago presents an obstacle that the rookie coach and QB will be hard pressed to overcome.

That being said, I like the Panthers to win this game for several reasons that don’t require Cam to throw for another 400 yard week. As an offense, they have established some things that work in a big way. Not only can Cam get the ball in the hands of #1 WR Steve Smith, but his tight ends are really making the difference in picking up big yards and first downs. Not to mention that former Chicago TE Greg Olsen was responsible for the game winning TD in last week’s game. He will  definitely be running on all cylinders against the team that gave him up in the off season. Carolina’s offense is almost centered around a TE heavy offense and will be pitted against a Bears defense that, even with their starters, struggles to defend against TE’s. It is the safety’s job to cover the tight end and Chicago’s starting safety, Chris Harris, is questionable to play on Sunday.

Running the ball will be difficult against this defense with only half of Double Trouble getting any decent yardage. If the Panthers run the ball, they need to put it in the hands of JStew, who is 90 yards rushing and 140 yards receiving so far in the season. Their best bet to confuse the defense will be to call dump off plays to the running backs when Cam sees a big blitz in his face. Running, once out of the pocket, will be a lot tougher against guys like Peppers and Melton in week four.

Defensively the Panthers will have a good shot at keeping Chicago to under 20 points this week. Tackle Gabe Carimi will sit out this game and increase an already glaring hole in the Bears’ offensive line. Jay Cutler has been sacked 14 times already this season and I feel good that Charles Johnson and Greg Hardy can tack on at least 2 more. Another upside is their ability to knock the ball out when tackling since the Panthers’ D has forced 5 fumbles, even though only one was recovered by the Panthers. As I predicted against Green Bay, I believe that Carolina can force at least one turnover in Chicago territory and with a short field Cam will have a good opportunity to cut into the redzone.

The Bears will see RB Marion Barber on the field for the first time this season to help out a running game that has given more passing yards to starting RB Matt Forte than hand offs. The biggest task for the Panther linebackers will be to contain Forte and force Cutler to pass to other receivers, who have yet to produce big numbers so far this season. Roy Williams is also returning to give them a little more depth at WR and having Chris Gamble out, it out may cause some issues in completely shutting down Chicago’s passing game.

Though the Panthers defense probably won’t put a huge dent on Chicago’s offense, there are two factors that most people haven’t accounted for that I think will create a big advantage in favor of Carolina’s offense. Those factors are Greg Olsen and Coach Ron Rivera. Rivera was the defensive coordinator in Chicago from 2004-2006 before Lovie Smith booted him out to find his replacements. More than motivation for a little revenge, Rivera’s knowledge about the blitzing scheme and players’s personal attributes will give Cam some important insight where he lacks experience. Also, Olsen is practically fresh from Bears’ practices with the team’s starting defense. He already has the ability to exploit starting safeties, but knowing their habits and weaknesses will translate to big numbers for Olsen on Sunday.

As I said, I like Carolina to pull this one out. It will be another day dependent on a strong defense, but even more so for a consistent offense. Cam will have plenty of chances to exploit some holes in the secondary, but the offensive line without Jeff Otah will have to work even harder this week than they did against Green Bay in week two to protect their QB. It will be a close game but I predict Carolina to win it 23-17.

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Garbage Picking Field Goal Kicking Philadelphia Phenomenon [VHS]

Most films about high school football players usually fall into one of two categories: glossy jock romance or locker-room sex farce. This one defies the odds and scores both as decent character study and decidedly unsentimental sports melodrama. It's not only a helluva coming-of-age yarn, but also, like Paul Newman's Slapshot, it's a bracing look at the hopes and dreams of blue-collar survivors. Tom Cruise plays a mill-town football star determined to escape the same traps that ensnared his parents. Craig T. Nelson, in a terrific villain role, is the coach who takes revenge when Cruise's ambitions drift a little too close to home. Michael Chapman, Martin Scorsese's favorite cinematographer, made his directorial debut with this gritty little winner, which benefits from being shot on location in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and which is set to a great Jennifer Warnes-Chris Thompson theme song. Lea Thompson and Christopher Penn co-star. In 1983, another Cruise vehicle had even better moves: Risky Business. --Glenn Lovell

Price: $9.99

Click here to buy from Amazon

Stakes are high at Kyle Field on Saturday

When the sun rose on Stillwater, Okla., the Friday morning following last season's dramatic 38-35 Oklahoma State victory over Texas A&M, the conference spotlight had quickly shifted to the league's premier rivalry -- Oklahoma vs. Texas in the Cotton Bowl -- which was just more than 24 hours away from kickoff.

Sure, that Cowboys and Aggies game was fun. But eight turnovers? Neither team was begging to be taken seriously.

Neither team was ranked.

The Aggies returned a six-win team that just lost its first real test of the season. Oklahoma State was picked to finish fifth in the league and nearly lost to Troy at home weeks earlier.

You know what they say about hindsight.

Nobody knew it until months later, but the Big 12 race hinged on that field. Both teams shared a Big 12 South title with Oklahoma, one finishing higher in the division than ever (OSU) and the other having its best showing since 1998 (A&M).

There are no such problems this year. The stakes are monumental.

"It has explicit implications into who takes the early lead in the conference," said Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman. "It’s huge."

[+] Enlarge Thomas Campbell/US PRESSWIRETexas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill is 7-1 since taking over as a starter last season.Both teams are ranked in the top 10, and through three weeks both have looked deserving of top-10 rankings, 10-win seasons and hopeful BCS berths. This time, it's the undeniable game of the week in the Big 12, if not the game of the year.

"I don’t think you have to make a big deal," Sherman says of approaching a game of Saturday's magnitude. "You don’t have to beat it into their head. They hear things. They see things. They’re not stupid. They understand how important this game is for us."

Texas A&M has a new quarterback this time in Ryan Tannehill. Last year quarterback Jerrod Johnson, who wasn't his normal self in 2010 because of a bum post-surgery shoulder, pulled the Aggies even with Oklahoma State in the fourth quarter with a pair of pressure-packed touchdown passes. But he handed the game back to OSU with a costly interception -- one of his four on the day -- that set up OSU's game-winning field goal as time expired. Three games later, he had been replaced by Tannehill.

This year's Aggies, more sure of themselves after a late-season run to reach the top 15 and become a factor in the Big 12 race with wins over Oklahoma and Nebraska, is armed with an additional burden: A future in the SEC.

The voices questioning Texas A&M's seemingly imminent move to the SEC have grown loud, and the best way for the Aggies to silence them is to leave with a crystal bowl tucked under their arm.

"Thanks for this. Adios. Here's an S-E-C! chant for the road. See y'all in the Cotton Bowl."

Two games on Texas A&M's schedule will decide if that dream becomes reality.

This is the first. The second is Nov. 5 at Oklahoma.

Managing that pressure and expectation begins with preparation.

"[Players] feed off the head coach and the staff," Sherman said. "If the head coach and staff are tight and feel the pressure of the game, then the players certainly will feel the same thing. I think they have to see that we’re confident in our preparation and on game day that we’re ready to play."

Kyle Field will be rocking. A network broadcast audience will be watching. It's put-up or shutup time for the Aggies.

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3-point stance: Skov will lead off the field

1. When Stanford lost redshirt junior linebacker Shayne Skov for the season to a freak knee injury in the first half of the 37-10 victory at Arizona, the No. 5 Cardinal lost more than its leading tackler. “Shayne was the on-field passionate leader,” head coach David Shaw said. Such is the respect that the defense has for Skov that he merely will shift to become the off-field passionate leader. “He’ll be pissed if they don’t play at a high level,” Shaw said.

2. Georgia became a sexy preseason pick in part because the Bulldogs play an SEC schedule that excludes No. 2 LSU, No. 3 Alabama and No. 14 Arkansas. However, there's another team that may ride an unexpectedly soft schedule into a BCS berth. No. 11 Florida State plays an ACC schedule without No. 13 Virginia Tech, No. 25 Georgia Tech and North Carolina. If the Seminoles win at No. 21 Clemson this week, they may cruise until they play No. 15 Florida on Thanksgiving Saturday.

3. The good news is that Kentucky’s red zone defense is outstanding. Opponents have driven inside the Wildcats’ 20 five times and come out with four field goals and no touchdowns. The bad news is that the Wildcats have given up four touchdowns, all on passes between 24-28 yards. “We can’t allow people to throw the ball over our heads,” Kentucky coach Joker Phillips said. Next up: Florida, with a rejuvenated passing game under new offensive coordinator Charlie Weis.

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Seahawks TE Carlson carted off at Soldier Field

Published: January 16th, 2011 | Tags: John Carlson, John Carlson, NFC Divisional Playoffs, Seattle Seahawks

UPDATE II: Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said during his postgame news conference that both Carlson and Trufant were hospitalized with concussions, but both were doing “OK.”

UPDATE: For the second time Sunday a member of the Seahawks has been taken off the field on a stretcher. This time it was CB Marcus Trufant, who was kneed in the side of the head while attempting to make a tackle during the third quarter. Trufant was injured when he went low to make a tackle on Bears TE Kellen Davis, and immediately went down to the field and was motionless as if he were out cold. Medical personnel for the Seahwks removed Trufant’s facemask, immobilized him on a backboard and carted him slowly off the field. The team announced Trufant has movement in all of his extremeties.

It was a scary moment Sunday at Chicago’s Solider Field when Seahawks TE John Carlson was carted off with an apparent head injury. But it appears Carlson might have avoided a very serious injury.

Carlson was injured midway through the first quarter when he came down head-first on the sideline after he had been catapulted into the air at the end of a 14-yard reception. Carlson laid motionless on the field for several moments as medical staff rushed to his side. He was immobilized and strapped to a backboard before he was loaded onto a cart and taken off the field.

The Seahawks announced Carlson had feeling in his extremities and that he was carted off as a precaution. It was a positive sign that Carlson clearly was conversing with members of the medical staff as they loaded him onto the cart. Carlson won’t return to the game.

It’s also worth noting that the Seahawks have only one other tight end — second-year pro Cameron Morrah — on the active roster for Sunday’s game. Carlson is a favorite target of Matt Hasselbeck, and the Seahawks likely will be limited in using two tight end sets the rest of the way.

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Chargers’ Tolbert taken from field on stretcher

Published: December 26th, 2010 | Tags: Mike Tolbert, Cincinnati Bengals, San Diego Chargers, Week 16 injuries 2010

UPDATE: NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora reported Tolbert has passed all of his initial medical tests and was scheduled to travel home with the Chargers. Tolbert could sit out Week 17 as a precaution, but seems to have avoided serious injury.

A scary scene played out on Sunday in Cincinnati, where Chargers RB Mike Tolbert was taken off the field on a stretcher following a collision with two Bengals defenders.

Tolbert went down midway through the first quarter when he was hit by Reggie Nelson after a short run. Nelson appeared to hit Tolbert on the left side of the helmet. Tolbert did lower his head slightly, and appeared to be injured on the impact from Nelson, and not the ground. It left Tolbert face-down on the field, and motionless.

Players from both teams surrounded Tolbert as medical personnel immobilized him and strapped him to a body board before loading him on a stretcher. Because teams take every precaution available, there’s no indication to the severity of Tolbert’s condition to be taken from the scene on the field.

It was certainly encouraging to see Tolbert give a thumbs-up as he left the field, which drew a cheer from the crowd.

Tolbert was presumably taken to the locker room, and we’ll pass along any updates.

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Colts’ Collie taken off field on stretcher

Published: November 7th, 2010 | | Tags: Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles, Austin Collie, Week 9 injuries 2010, Kurt Coleman

UPDATE: The Colts announced Collie officially suffered a concussion.

An NFL game often takes on a serious tone when a violent injury takes place.

Such was the case with Colts WR Austin Collie in Sunday’s game against the Eagles, when he was carted off the field after taking two big hits following what was ruled an incomplete pass during the second quarter.

Collie appeared to haul in a pass from Peyton Manning over the middle of the field, and as he braced for a collision, was first hit on one side by the shoulder of Quintin Mikell, and then took a helmet-to-helmet hit from FS Kurt Coleman an instant later. The back of Collie’s helmet hit the field hard, and the severity of his injury was immediately clear. Collie immediately dropped the ball and appeared to have been knocked unconscious.

Team medical personnel removed Collie’s face mask and strapped him to a backboard before he was taken off the field on a stretcher. Manning came over to offer some words, and TV camera angles clearly showed Collie blinking his eyes. Because of the precautionary measures involved, it’s difficult to speculate on his exact injury or its severity.

And it was difficult to watch.

The play was ruled an incomplete pass, and a unnecessary roughness penalty was called on Mikell as Collie was deemed a “defenseless” receiver. The Colts did not make any immediate announcements.

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