"Is there a better running back in the NFL than red-hot Matt Forte?

''Nah, it's not even close,'' quarterback Jay Cutler said Wednesday. ''What he can do [on] first, second and third down in the passing game and the running game, inside and outside — if we lose him, we've got a lot of issues.''

With 672 yards on 124 carries (5.4 average, two touchdowns), Forte is third in the NFL in rushing behind the Vikings' Adrian Peterson (712 yards, 4.9, eight TDs) and the Jaguars' Maurice Jones-Drew (677 yards, 4.6, two TDs). Forte leads the NFL with nine rushes of 20 yards or more (the Bills' Fred Jackson and the Raiders' Darren McFadden have eight).

Forte leads all NFL non-quarterbacks in total yards per game with 155.0 (1,091 total). Jackson is second with 146.7 (880 total). Peterson is averaging 108.7 (761 total)."