Bears' Marshall knows a potent offense when he sees one
BOURBONNAIS — This year's Bears offense is definitely NOT the most explosive one that Brandon Marshall has ever played in, and the three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver is emphatic about it.
“Not even close, he said. “(In) 1994, my little league team, the Kingsley Knights — no, I'm being honest — I mean, we were scoring at will,” Marshall told an amused audience Thursday morning, just hours before the Bears' first training-camp practice.
“It was amazing, so hopefully if we match some of that production from back in 1994, then I'll be able to say that. But I have to see it first.”
The Bears have Jay Cutler, the quarterback who delivered the ball to Marshall in his two most productive NFL seasons in 2007-08 with the Broncos.
They have Pro Bowl running back Matt Forte and a highly productive backup/complement in power back Michael Bush.
In addition to Marshall they have a big-play specialist in Devin Hester and Cutler's security blanket underneath in Earl Bennett, who is more than just a possession receiver.
But back in the day, the Kingsley Knights were stacked, too.
“Kareem was amazing,” Marshall said. “He was the other running back. I was the 3 back, he was the 2 back, and we probably had 20 touchdowns apiece.
“Then we had our quarterback, Al, who was pretty good. He was the coach's son, so you know he got the ball a lot. But, no, he was good, though.”
Whether the Bears can challenge the explosiveness of the Knights will be determined in large part by how well the Cutler-Marshall combination clicks.
If familiarity counts for anything, indications are promising, since Cutler and Marshall appear inseparable around the Olivet Nazarene University campus.
In addition to meetings and practices, the two go to and from lunch together and spend a lot of downtime together, even playing board games at night in the dorm.
“It's just natural,” Marshall said. “Our rooms are right next to each other, and we're really focused and we understand how we need each other; we need each and every guy on offense and defense.
“It's a sense of family here and we're just excited about the opportunity.”
But the Cutler-Marshall relationship isn't always like an “After School Special.”
“It's not always fun,” Marshall said. “It's not always good, even just walking around here. In any relationship where you take two people from two different places and you put them together, you butt heads because sometimes we try to impose our own wills on each other.
“But once you understand that there's no right or wrong, it's just two different people, I think that's when a relationship gets better, and with Jay and I, it's always some work.”
Not since his rookie season has Marshall had fewer than 1,000 receiving yards and less than 81 receptions. Anything less than that would be a huge disappointment to fans who expect Marshall to elevate the Bears' offense to unprecedented heights.
The great expectations don't seem to bother Marshall.
“It's simple,” he said, “you control what you control. When you try to get outside of the box and do something you're not used to or you're not comfortable doing, that's when you make mistakes, and that's when you usually bust.”
Aside from his well-documented, off-the-field transgressions, there's nothing to indicate any bust factor in Marshall's game. He always has put up numbers.
“And numbers don't lie,” he said. “On the field, I think everyone knows what they're getting.
“You never want to get content, (though). There are a lot of things that I'm working on and I'm striving to be better at, but at the same time I'm not going to have 2,500 yards receiving. I'm not going to have 50 touchdowns. That's not possible.
“But I'm going to be consistent. I'm going to work hard in the passing game and the blocking game and have that passion and that emotion that everyone sees on Sundays.”
If so, maybe the 2012 Bears can match the explosiveness of the 1994 Kingsley Knights.
relegere@dailyherald.com