Matt Forte News: Pro Sports Daily

Bears' running game fails to get going -- again

Comment

October 26

Chicago Tribune

"As has become a recurring theme throughout the season, the Bears' running game failed to get going Sunday. But this time, there was a logical explanation: It's hard to run the ball after falling behind 31-0. Matt Forte wasn't pleased with his six-carry, 24-yard effort regardless of the circumstances. As a team, the Bears picked up 35 yards on 12 carries, while Jay Cutler passed the ball 37 times. "It's not frustrating, it's disappointing," Forte said. "We can't get frustrated because if we get frustrated, it's just going to carry on. In the back of your mind, it's just going to lead to more bad things. Got to forget about it, go out next week and play better." The Bears ran eight offensive ..."

Bears' Matt Forte dismisses his critics

Comment

October 22

Chicago Tribune

"With two fumbles against Atlanta and an average of just 3.4 yards per carry through five games, Matt Forte has taken hits both on and off the field. The second-year Bears player shrugged off criticism from those saying he is not an elite back. ``I don't care what they talk about because they love you one minute and as soon as you do something (wrong), they hate you the next," Forte said Wednesday. ``I take it with a grain of salt. I'm going go out there and I know I'm going to work hard every week to do my best. It's not like I'm going out there and giving up." Forte had arguably his worst game as a Bear last Sunday, finishing with just 23 rushing yards on 15 carries. The fumbles occurred ..."

Bears likely to go with just 2 running backs

Comment

October 16

Chicago Tribune

"With Adrian Peterson (right knee strain) out for Sunday's game in Atlanta, the Bears might go with only two running backs against the Falcons: starter Matt Forte and Garrett Wolfe. Coach Lovie Smith initially said he couldn't imagine going into a game with just two running backs, but he changed his tune a bit when asked about it after practice Thursday. "When I said I couldn't imagine ... we haven't been in that situation much since I've been here," Smith said. "I'm still saying that's not a situation you want to be in. But you can get through with it." The Bears finished the 2007 season with just two running backs -- Peterson as the starter and Wolfe as the backup -- after Cedric ..."

Matt Forte, Bears' running game get on track

Comment

October 5

Chicago Tribune

"Bears fullback Jason McKie couldn't contain himself as he watched running back Matt Forte rumble 61 yards, then get pulled down by Lions safety Louis Delmas before he had reached the end zone Sunday. "I told him next time he's got to score," McKie said with a laugh. "You know, when you get that big of a hole, you have to score." Forte defended himself. "I didn't get caught," he said. "Didn't I get banged up last week, with my knee? So don't tell me I got caught." If anything, Forte got going. So did the Bears' running game. Forte ran for a season-high 121 yards on 12 carries in the Bears' 48-24 win. He entered the game averaging just 2.5 yards per carry but broke lose for 10.1 yards per ..."

Forte just good enough to occupy Seahawks

Comment

September 28

Chicago Sun-Times

"A week after San Francisco's Frank Gore rambled for 207 yards against Seattle, the Bears hoped to get their own ground game sorted out against the Seahawks. That didn't happen, but they still managed to get just enough out of Matt Forte and the running game to keep the offense balanced. Forte, who left Qwest Field with a wrap on his right knee, was examined in the first quarter after taking a hit and came back to finish with 66 yards on 21 attempts (3.1 per carry). The Bears didn't get a first down rushing until 10 minutes left in the game. Still, the Seahawks frequently had eight men in the box, and that created one-on-one matchups on the outside that quarterback Jay Cutler used to his ..."

Chicago Bears' Matt Forte plays through knee injury

Comment

September 28

Chicago Tribune

"Matt Forte's return during Sunday's game was supposed to be questionable following a first-quarter knee injury, but he was right back on the field after absorbing the blow. "I went inside and got taped, so I was straight," Forte said. "That's part of football: You have to play hurt. You've got to be smart about it. But if you can play, you play. "(The knee) doesn't feel natural, but you still have to go out there and make the most of it." Forte got hit on the side of his left knee, likely by Seahawks cornerback Ken Lucas. The Bears running back finished the game with 66 yards on 21 carries, averaging 3.1 yards per carry. It wasn't exactly the outing Forte had hoped for as the Bears entered ..."

Cut Matt Forte some slack

Comment

September 27

Chicago Tribune

"If questions were tacklers, Matt Forte would have stiff-armed me just under the chin. "Why would I doubt myself?" Forte shot back before my question was finished. "No, I would never doubt myself in anything that I do." Asked and answered. That's the reaction you want from an accomplished NFL player after two uncharacteristically bad games. Defiance can serve a running back as well as 4.4 speed. But it beat asking Forte about what's on the minds of the most cynical Bears observers this week: What if everybody was wrong about the running back? What if he really is closer to being the next James Allen than the next Neal Anderson? Sorry, it is too early to give that merit, even though Forte's ..."

Calendar says it's rush week

Comment

September 24

Chicago Sun-Times

"In the cycle of an NFL week, the luster of a victory over the reigning Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers fades over the course of 72 hours. New challenges are introduced, and familiar problems are highlighted. Both intersected for the Bears on Wednesday as they began preparations for Sunday's game at Seattle, where they haven't won since 1976, the Seahawks' inaugural season. The Seahawks defense is battered -- the team lists 13 players on the injury report, including six on defense -- and outside linebacker LeRoy Hill will not play because of a groin injury. Linebacker Lofa Tatupu (hamstring) and tackle Brandon Mebane (calf) were out last week when the San Francisco 49ers' Frank Gore ..."

Chicago Bears remain confident in running game

Comment

September 24

Chicago Tribune

"Scan through the Bears statistics and the name behind the longest rush is sure to come as a surprise. No, it's not Matt Forte. It's not Devin Hester, either, especially because the Bears have yet to break out the Wildcat. Adrian Peterson's 15-yard scamper against the Steelers stands as their longest run play. Most observers expected Forte, who rushed for 1,238 yards as a rookie last season, to be the one picking up the huge chunks. Instead, the second-year running back remains stuck in neutral, ranked 36th in the league in rushing (84 yards) going into Sunday's game at Seattle. And his 2.2 yards per carry is worst among the first 45 rushers listed. Offensive coordinator Ron Turner believes ..."

Run-challenged Bears losing their balance

Comment

September 23

Chicago Sun-Times

"Don't look now, but the team that used to get off the bus running needs to bus in a running game. It's just a two-game snapshot, of course, but the Bears are as one-dimensional as any offense in the league these days: a throw-first, throw-often bunch that can barely run in place. And that is far from ideal. Running the ball may be one of the most boring and charmless elements to an offense, but it's also essential to generate the kind of balance that keeps opposition defenses out of sync. ''Well, we haven't had a lot of yards, but I think with being a running team and continuing to run the ball, and just by people knowing we're a running team, that's doing enough in itself right there,'' ..."

Where's Matt Forte's place in post-Walter Payton era?

Comment

September 11

Chicago Tribune

"It was a wonderful rookie season for Matt Forte last year. But when it comes to comparisons with other running backs who played for his team, he has many yards to go. This, after all, is the franchise of Walter Payton, of Gale Sayers, of Red Grange. It is unfair to compare Forte to those players. But we can compare him to the post-Payton backs. Since Payton retired 22 years ago, 10 backs other than Forte have led the team in rushing. From those, we can say without doubt Forte already is superior to seven of them. In 1998, Packers re-tread Edgar Bennett wound up leading the team in rushing with a meager 611 yards. Like Forte, Bennett was an all-around player. "He was a pro," said Bears ..."

Forte stresses Bears must balance passing and running

Comment

August 27

Chicago Tribune

"Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner has been around the block in the NFL, yet he never has had such a potential arsenal as this year's. The temptation might be to become pass-happy to take advantage of Jay Cutler's rifle arm. But the Bears might be better served in the long run to maintain a healthy balance of running and passing plays. "You don't want to get overloaded on one or the other, because then [defenses] will start knowing what you are going to do," running back Matt Forte said as the Bears prepare for Sunday night's third exhibition at Denver. "We have to be consistent." Of course, the success of any plan of attack is predicated on an effective offensive line. "Each week ..."

Matt Forte looks strong in his first action

Comment

August 23

Chicago Tribune

"Matt Forte wanted to play in the first exhibition, but the coaches opted to give him more rest coming off an off-season hamstring injury. But his built-up energy was evident in Saturday night's 17-3 victory over the Giants. Forte rushed seven times for 53 yards in the first quarter, including a 32-yard touchdown up the middle behind a block from left guard Frank Omiyale. "That was a good block," Forte said. "We were moving the ball and hurting them with the pass, and we called a run at the right time. "I cut off him, cut up the field and made a good run. Everybody made a nice block, all the way across the line. I never got touched." He finished with nine rushes for 58 yards to go with one ..."

Chicago Bears tight ends, Matt Forte more important than wide receiver

Comment

July 22

Chicago Tribune

columnist David Haugh

"Nothing offers a reminder of how close NFL training camp is in Chicago quite like the sight of a grown man wearing a No. 54 Bears jersey -- in the British Isles on the other side of the Atlantic during vacation. Here are 10 other things I know about the Bears. 1 I know much hand-wringing will continue over the Bears' reluctance to pursue a veteran wide receiver still on the street. Lack of experience at the position understandably ranks as one of the issues to follow closest in Bourbonnais. But take a deep breath, Bears Nation, and consider whether a guy such as, say, Drew Bennett or D.J. Hackett, two of the available wide receivers who tried out this week with the Ravens, really would ..."

Matt Forte observes practice but MRI results not known

Comment

June 4

Chicago Tribune

"Bears running back Matt Forte observed Thursday's organized team activities but did not participate, according to an NFL source. Forte was scheduled to undergo an MRI Thursday morning, but the Bears would not confirm that the procedure was performed. Forte limped off the field following Wednesday's practice, apparently after hearing a pop in his left leg. It was believed to be either a hamstring or calf injury considering that Forte pointed to pain behind his knee. With Forte sidelined, running back Kevin Jones ran with the first-team offense."

Ron Turner not too worried about Matt Forte's injury

Comment

June 4

Chicago Tribune

"Moments after Matt Forte limped off the practice field on Wednesday, Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner was asked about the status of his star running back. ``I don't think there's any concern,'' Turner said. ``I think he'll be fine.'' Forte left the field a few minutes before the session officially ended. He slowly made his way to the locker room but it was unclear what exactly happened. Head coach Lovie Smith usually provides injury updates, but Smith did not address the media on Wednesday."

Forte glad to have Cutler aboard with Bears

Comment

April 5

Chicago Tribune

"Bears running back Matt Forte is as eager as any of his teammates to see what new quarterback Jay Cutler has to offer. But Forte also was urged to temper his enthusiasm. "I talked to (running backs coach) Tim Spencer, and he said we still have work to do," Forte said Saturday night. "So it's not like everything is all good now. We still have to go out and play the games." The first day of the Cutler era begins Monday, when the team gathers for voluntary off-season workouts. Unfortunately for Forte, he won't be a part of the welcoming committee. He is taking classes at Tulane toward his degree in finance and still has four weeks of school remaining. Forte plans to return to Chicago in May, ..."

Study break for Bears' Matt Forte

Comment

January 30

Chicago Tribune

"Matt Forte felt honored to show up Thursday as a finalist for the Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Year Award, which went to Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco. But forgive Forte for not sticking around for Sunday's game. The Bears running back who hit the holes so well as a rookie hits the books just as aggressively. "I need to get back to class and keep my wits," Forte told radio reporters after the news conference. He will return to Tulane University to continue his final 15 hours of course work toward a finance degree. His academic schedule this semester includes classes in strategic management, banking and English. If the Bears hear any problems about Forte being out too late this off-season, it ..."

Rookie Slaton is Texans' Forte

Comment

December 27

Chicago Sun-Times

"Everybody knows the Bears are pleased with the progress of running back Matt Forte, who has supplied 35.7 percent of the team's offense, a higher single-season figure than anyone not named Walter Payton or Gale Sayers. But is it possible the Bears will see a better rookie running back Sunday in Houston's Steve Slaton? He will be one of the key figures in the Texans' balanced offense, which ranks third in the league. The Bears did a good job shutting down New Orleans' top-ranked offense when it came to town Dec. 11, but that was a one-dimensional attack. The Texans run the ball efficiently, and Slaton provides a home-run threat. The Bears are going to have to stop him first if they want to ..."

Matt Forte returns to form just in time

Comment

December 23

Chicago Tribune

"The season that began with Matt Forte leading the Bears off the bus running was saved late Monday night when Forte and his offensive linemen decided to take over a game that had belonged to the Green Bay Packers for most of the evening. With the season hanging by a thread, Forte came to life in the fourth quarter and brought the Bears back with him. Forte, whom the Bears hope will be their franchise back, did it when it mattered most. He had just 20 rushing yards and none receiving through three quarters. But in the final quarter, he rushed for 52 and added 14 on his first reception of the game. Forte finished with 101 of the Bears' 210 total yards of offense. The rookie carried on seven ..."

Lovie Smith not concerned about Matt Forte's toe injury

Comment

December 13

Chicago Tribune

"Matt Forte's toe injury doesn't appear to be a major concern. "He has a sore toe, but he was able to finish the football game," Bears coach Lovie Smith said Friday. "We don't think he'll have any other trouble with it." Forte suffered the injury to his right foot on his first carry Thursday against the Saints. X-rays were negative. He will have plenty of time to recover because the Bears don't play until a Dec. 22 Monday night matchup with rival Green Bay. The bigger issue for the Bears is having a capable back ready in case something happens to Forte at the end of this season or in the future. Kevin Jones signed a one-year deal and started the season as the backup, but Adrian Peterson ..."

Bears call on Forte too much

Comment

December 13

Chicago Tribune

columnist Dan Pompei

"Seeing Bears halfback Matt Forte on the sidelines getting medical attention Thursday night drew attention to how dependent the Bears are on him. Could anyone imagine what they would be like without the rookie? Consider this: Forte has the highest percentage of his team's "touches" in the entire NFL—51 percent of the Bears' runs or throws. Offensive coaches like to talk a lot about how important balance is in terms of run and pass. It's also important to have some balance in terms of personnel. It's one thing to be overly dependent on a player like the incandescent Adrian Peterson of the Vikings. You can't give him the ball too many times because he is capable of the game-changing play at ..."

Bears' Matt Forte limited in 1st half by foot injury

Comment

December 12

Chicago Tribune

"Matt Forte gave Bears fans a scare when he left for the sideline after his first carry of the game Thursday night when he was tackled and hurt the big toe on his right foot. Forte retreated to the locker room, but returned with 10:38 remaining in the second period. "He was in a lot of pain," Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner said. "He's a great football player and he's extremely tough. It was very important to him to be out there with his teammates and do what he could do." In fact, Forte scored on a 1-yard run with 7:42 left in the second quarter to give the Bears a 14-7 lead. He finished with just 34 yards on 11 rushes. But he also caught five passes for 29 yards."

Running on empty? Not Bears' Matt Forte

Comment

December 9

Chicago Tribune

columnist David Haugh

"A funny thing happened to Matt Forte when he approached the rookie wall every first-year player encounters. It was hiding a trampoline. Forte has had a bounce in his step since the Bears' week off near midseason, often the point when rookie running backs begin to see their production decline. "There is no wall!" rookie teammate Marcus Harrison shouted Sunday as reporters gathered around Forte's locker. Forte seemed genuinely embarrassed by the attention or Harrison's outburst, maybe both. "I really don't think about that," Forte said of the proverbial wall. It has been invisible. In Forte's first seven games, he gained 515 yards on 147 carries, his 3.5 yards-per-carry average creating ..."

Jones-Drew gave Forte great advice about playing in NFL

Comment

December 7

Chicago Sun-Times

"In terms of their running styles, Matt Forte and Maurice Jones-Drew couldn’t be more different. Forte is an upright runner with good feet who’s faster than he’s given credit for. Jones-Drew is generously listed at 5-7 but is a bruising rusher with shiftiness and a low center of gravity that makes him difficult to tackle. But they do share some qualities. Both are skilled receivers coming out of the backfield. Both were drafted in the second round, the sixth running back taken in their respective classes. Both run with an attitude, and that might be the key to their success. The friends will meet on the field today for the first time. Forte is fresh off a 96-yard effort at Minnesota that ..."

132-yard day a snap for Forte

Comment

November 24

Chicago Sun-Times

"It was a little piece of genius. Not only did the Bears immediately go back to Matt Forte after his first lost fumble of the season, they snapped the ball directly to him out of the wildcat formation. What a way to rebuild Forte's confidence. Forte ran for four yards on that play, and after taking a handoff from Kyle Orton a play later, he broke a 49-yard touchdown run -- his longest play since the season opener. ''We were going to call those plays anyway; the fumble had nothing to do with it,'' offensive coordinator Ron Turner said. ''Sometimes you lose a fumble, it was no big thing,'' Forte said. So much for genius. Still, it has been amazing to watch Forte's production and the way he ..."

Bears rookie Matt Forte model of consistency

Comment

November 24

Chicago Tribune

columnist David Haugh

"Having taken a direct snap from center once Sunday in the Bears' 27-3 victory over the St. Louis Rams, Matt Forte was asked if he had an arm in case a play out of that trick formation ever required him to pass. "I've got two arms," Forte replied with a chuckle. This was Forte's idea of funny, Chicago, as outrageous as the soft-spoken rookie probably ever gets. Oh, Forte possesses a good sense of humor, but he has a better sense of the moment. This season is becoming his. "You get the same player each week," coach Lovie Smith said of Forte. There is no higher compliment in the Lovie Smith glossary. If you want mercurial, Tommie Harris is waiting at his locker. If you want to obsess over a ..."

Forte impresses Titans' Haynesworth

Comment

November 8

Chicago Sun-Times

"Matt Forte may be operating under the radar for some, but not as far off as Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth had him. ''Forte, man, he's an awesome back,'' Haynesworth said this week. ''Gosh, I heard he got taken in the fourth round. I don't know how many people missed the ball on that one. 'The guy has got awesome feet. He looks like a Deuce McAllister, honestly, maybe even better and fresher. He's just got great size, great ability and great feet. He's going to be tough. He's going to be one of the toughest running backs we have to face.'' While the McAllister comparison might be a little off -- and Forte was a second-round pick -- Haynesworth's comments on Forte's ..."

Bears' best bet: Let Forte run

Comment

October 19

Chicago Tribune

columnist David Haugh

"To stop Adrian Peterson from controlling a game that could give the winner control of the NFC North, the Bears need Brian Urlacher to remind Chicago why he's a superstar linebacker. They need defensive tackle Tommie Harris to stop being unbearable and start being unblockable. They need free safety Mike Brown to introduce himself to Peterson face mask-to-face mask and strong safety Kevin Payne to inflict a little. They need Lance Briggs to continue his Pro Bowl-level play to help the Bears stop the run as well as they have. But the Bear who is most equipped to make it a frustrating day for Peterson doesn't play defense. That would be running back Matt Forte, the rookie whose season-opening ..."

Forte's less forceful lately

Comment

October 17

Chicago Sun-Times

"The numbers say the Bears' running game has been dipping the last month. Rookie Matt Forte, sixth in the NFL with 459 yards and on pace for 1,224, has been slowed in recent weeks as defenses gear up to stop the run. Forte's output thus far is the most by a Bears rookie back since Beattie Feathers in 1934, but he hasn't gone over 100 yards since the opener at Indianapolis and has broken off only one 20-yard run since. Forte is averaging a lackluster 3.01 yards per attempt in the last four games and 3.6 for the season, and the team that ''gets off the bus running'' is 13th in the NFL in rushing. But while yards per carry is the truest measure of success for a back -- production can't be ..."

After 'interview' with Lions, Forte doing job for Bears

Comment

October 3

Chicago Sun-Times

"For a moment, at least, picture Matt Forte in the blue and silver of the Detroit Lions. The Lions did an exhaustive amount of work on the rookie running back from Tulane leading up to the draft in April. If they'd wanted to nab him in the second round, the Bears got him in the nick of time -- 44th overall and one pick before the Lions' second selection. Detroit grabbed its running back, Central Florida's Kevin Smith, with the first pick of the third round. Forte visited the Lions' facility in Allen Park, Mich., in March at the same time Smith and Texas' Jamaal Charles were there. ''I knew there were going to be a couple of us there,'' Forte said. ''I just took it as a job interview. During ..."

Forte 'plugs away' in win

Comment

September 29

Chicago Tribune

columnist Fred Mitchell

"Matt Forte said he felt like a marked man Sunday night, perhaps the ultimate compliment for a rookie running back. "It's tough running out there when they are keying on the run," said Forte, who was limited to 43 yards on 19 carries (2.3 average). "But I just kept plugging away. You know, you can't give up. That's why the passing game opened up a lot." Forte's 10-yard run late in the fourth quarter continued a drive as the Bears played keep-away from the Eagles and held on for a 24-20 victory. The threat that Forte posed as a breakaway runner enabled offensive coordinator Ron Turner to deploy other weapons for quarterback Kyle Orton. Forte even caught a team-high five passes for 42 yards, ..."

Bears' Forte off to fast start

Comment

September 25

PhillyBurbs.com

"It wasn't too long ago that Matt Forte was competing with Cedric Benson and Adrian Peterson just to get some snaps at Bears training camp. Now Forte is one of the league's leading rushers. Forte, a rookie second-round pick from Tulane, won the starting tailback spot during the preseason and has rushed for 304 yards in the Bears' first three games. That's the most yards by any NFL back after three games since Cadillac Williams had 434 in 2005 and the most by a Bear in his first three games since Beattie Feathers gained 313 in 1934. Forte already has an NFL-high 73 carries and an NFL-high 86 touches, which is high for anybody - especially a 22-year-old rookie. "I'm fine," Forte said in a ..."

Running Start

Comment

September 15

New Orleans Times-Picayune

"Michael Parenton sat there, his eyes fixed on the television as he watched his best friend live out his dream. Parenton was so proud to see Matt Forté, wearing a Chicago Bears uniform, take the handoff on third-and-6 from midfield and make an impressive run. First he showed off the elusiveness -- which some questioned before the draft -- by juking Colts safety Antoine Bethea. Then Forté turned on the speed -- which many more said he didn't have before he stunned them at the NFL Scouting Combine -- by outracing All-Pro safety Bob Sanders for a 50-yard touchdown. Parenton's jaw dropped. This was a run Parenton, a senior center at Tulane, had become used but few in the NFL had ever ..."

Bears knew Matt Forte was special

Comment

September 11

Chicago Tribune

columnist Mike Downey

"He broke one 50 yards untouched for a touchdown on the fourth carry of his NFL career Sunday night in prime time, and Americans in front of TV sets heard Al Michaels and John Madden rave as they saw replays of Matt Forte's zigs and zags. And they turned to each other in their homes and asked: "Who?" Forte, is it—with an accent mark over the e? But the other Chicago Bears already knew who he was."I told everybody he was going to be special," tackle Tommie Harris was pleased to say Wednesday before practice. "My parents, my friends, everybody." Bears from the Super Bowl holdovers to the team's rookie third-string quarterback seemed to sense the same thing. "I could see it right away, how ..."

Perfect Fit For Forte

Comment

September 9

Chicago Sun-Times

"When Garret Chachere sat down with Matt Forte for lunch the day before the NFL draft in April, he asked which team Forte thought was going to call his name the next day. The Bears, Forte said, because they had shown the most interest in him over the previous two months. Chachere, who recruited Forte to Tulane and is now the special-teams coach at Memphis, thought it sounded like a good match, but he would have liked the running back's chances in just about any setting. He has been a believer in Forte a lot longer than most. ''It's funny,'' Chachere said Monday afternoon. ''He had an inkling that was where he was going. I expected big things from him this year, and I knew he was happy going ..."

Bears' Forte feeling the love

Comment

September 9

Chicago Tribune

"The cell phone buzzed around 1:15 a.m. Monday, and Mike Parenton wanted so much to ignore it. Instead, the Tulane center rolled over inside his off-campus house to hear his former teammate, roommate and close friend Matt Forte on the line. "I was sleeping. I had a 6 a.m. workout," Parenton said. "But you know what? I was so happy for Matt. He could have called me at 4:30 a.m., it wouldn't have mattered." Maybe Forte tempered his enthusiasm immediately afterward, but the Bears running back couldn't help but express his joy to family and friends after Sunday night's 123-yard rushing performance against the Colts—the most yards by a Bears rookie running back in a debut. Forte relived the ..."

Bears rookie runs over Colts for 123 yards, TD

Comment

September 8

Indianapolis Star

"A rookie running back in his NFL debut made the Indianapolis Colts' rushing defense look like a tackle-missing, overpowered mess of years past in Chicago's 29-13 victory Sunday night. Matt Forte, who at this time last year was playing for Tulane, rushed for 123 yards on 23 carries, including a 50-yard touchdown in the opening quarter. "They just outplayed us," said Colts defensive end/tackle Raheem Brock. "We missed a lot of tackles. We missed a lot of assignments." Not only was the 50-yard score the first touchdown at Lucas Oil Stadium, it was the longest against a Colts defense in more than a year -- Miami's Ronnie Brown had a 47-yarder in the 2006 season finale. The Colts' longest rush ..."

Forte shines in debut as Bears stun Colts

Comment

September 8

Chicago Tribune

"After compiling the most rushing yards for a Bears rookie in a debut, Matt Forte calmly sat down at his locker, oblivious to the hype surrounding his 123-yard, one-touchdown performance. "I'm glad we won, but I'm not going to go crazy over it," Forte said after the Bears' surprising 29-13 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night. "It's the first game. It's a 16-game season." Seems as if Forte already has a veteran's savvy. And his confidence was evident all night, particularly after he grabbed a second-quarter pass and absorbed vicious blows from Colts defenders Clint Session and Bob Sanders. They sent Forte out of the game for a few plays and resulted in his left shoulder being ..."

Depth chart says it all: Forte wins starting job

Comment

August 5

Daily Herald

"It didn't take long for rookie running back Matt Forte to claim the starting job. It became official when the depth chart for Thursday's preseason opener was distributed. But Forte hadn't been informed before he was interviewed, so he wasn't taking anything for granted. "I haven't heard that yet, so I'm still in the same mind-set, I'm at the bottom of the totem pole," the second-round pick from Tulane said. "I've got to work my way up." In the off-season and through the first half of training camp, Forte shared the first-team reps with veteran Adrian Peterson, but he has impressed coaches in almost every phase of the game, on the field and in the classroom. According to Forte, though, he's ..."

Matt Forte will start exhibition against Chiefs

Comment

August 5

Chicago Tribune

"As he stopped to answer questions for probably the hundredth time this training camp, Bears rookie running back Matt Forte couldn't help but hear teammate Alex Brown chirping in the background. "Gosh, he hasn't rushed for no yards yet," Brown joked. "He hasn't even got a first down. Let him pick up a third-and-1." Forte will get his chance soon enough. The team's depth chart for Thursday night's exhibition was released, and Forte is scheduled to start at running back against the Kansas City Chiefs. The rookie second-round pick from Tulane had been starting practices with the second team, behind Adrian Peterson, up until Monday. "It's not like he's been running all 2's," running backs coach ..."

RB Forte has starter mentality

Comment

July 30

Chicago Sun-Times

"On consecutive plays Tuesday, rookie running back Matt Forte powered up the middle for a touchdown in goal-line drills, then took a wide pitch and raced into the end zone. The Bears could get used to that. The offense's performance in the goal-line series -- four scores on six plays -- was a welcome effort after another day ruled by defense, and it showcased Forte's ability. He has been running with the second team but gets periodic reps with the starters in place of Adrian Peterson. It will surprise no one if Forte works his way into the starting lineup for the regular season. ''It's all in your mind-set and what you want to be,'' he said. ''I wanted to come out here and compete and go ..."

Forte earning respect for his attitude

Comment

July 29

Chicago Tribune

columnist David Haugh

"Witnesses say it's a good thing rookie running back Matt Forte carries the football better than he can carry a tune. A few days ago Forte stood up in the team dining hall and followed the orders of veteran center Olin Kreutz like all good rookies do. Forte wasn't immune to the NFL rite of passage just because he looks like he will be as important to the offense as any veteran. "You stand and say your name, your school and your signing bonus and then sing the fight song,'' said Forte, a Tulane University product. "At least I knew the words.'' Forte's light-hearted hazing off the field has been complemented by some heavy hits on it. After one inside-run drill Sunday, for example, defensive ..."

Bears' Matt Forte agrees to 4-year deal

Comment

July 3

Chicago Tribune

"Many in the Bears organization have raved about Matt Forte as if he already is assured a Pro Bowl spot in the near future. Offensive coordinator Ron Turner said he is confident enough to use the rookie in any offensive set. Linebackers Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher have gushed about Forte's flashes at practice. Even the guys at the Bachrach clothing store at Woodfield Mall said Alex Brown stopped in and couldn't stop talking about Forte."

Bears' starting RB job looks like Forte's to lose

Comment

June 19

Chicago Sun-Times

"The final practice session of the offseason Wednesday did little to indicate who will be the Bears' starting quarterback Sept. 7 at Indianapolis. At least some names were ruled out at running back. Coach Lovie Smith put the kibosh on the idea that the team will bring in an experienced back, making it clear that rookie second-round pick Matt Forte is being counted on as the starter from Day 1."