Even with Marshall and Cutler, Bears' offense isn't good enough

December 10, 2012, 5:32 pm

	KIP LEWIS
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Sometimes numbers tell the story and sometimes they don't. The Bears outgained the Vikings 438 to 248, had 22 first downs to Minnesota's 17 and held a struggling Christian Ponder to a paltry 91 yards passing.
 
However, the number that explains the Bears problems is seven, as in the seven touchdowns they have scored over five games, four of which they have lost. It's the anchor that is keeping this team from moving forward and perhaps will be the reason they miss the playoffs and are in the market for a new head coach -- a head coach that clearly doesn't have the ability to choose an offensive coordinator capable of simply making the Bears' offense average.
 
Everybody sees that this offense is one of the worst in the NFL. Time and time again they kill themselves. Sunday it was penalties, dropped balls and turnovers. Despite that, they still couldn't manage more than two touchdowns. After 13 games there is no identity and nothing that says they can turn it around.
 
It has been a one-man offense of Brandon Marshall and a whole bunch of spectators. Marshall has been putting up all-world type numbers like his franchise record 101 receptions, but it's almost as if nobody else in the offense is a part of the game plan.
 
If the offense continues this path of less that 14 points per game, the Bears will not be in the playoffs and major changes will follow in the offseason. Defense may win championships, but defenses are not supposed to score touchdowns every week in order for teams to win. There are too many good offenses in the NFL for the Bears to continually keep coming up with the short end of the stick. It's their history and one that needs to change.
 
If scoring less than two touchdowns a contest was acceptable, there would be no need to have Jay Cutler or Marshall on the team. These players were brought here to help put up points, but football is a team sport and it takes all 11 guys on one side of the ball to do their part. And as long as the Bears offense doesn't pull it's weight, the story will not change.
 
The numbers won't add up to championship caliber football.

Tags: Jay Cutler, brandon marshall, Chicago Bears, Lovie Smith, Mike Tice