Bears' Forte adjusting to backup role
Running back Matt Forte has been around long enough to know how fleeting fame can be, and in case he'd forgotten, he's received a refresher course while missing the Bears' past two games with a sprained knee.
Rookie Jeremy Langford is the new flavor of the month. The fourth-round pick has 50 carries for 191 yards and has also caught 10 passes for 179 yards, including an 83-yard TD, filling in for Forte.
It seems the fans and the media can't get enough of the new guy.
“The NFL is: ‘What have you done for me lately?'” said the eight-year veteran, who is close to returning after sitting out Thursday following a limited practice Wednesday. “The fans are the fans. It's whatever's next. I've been out for a few games, and he's done his job, done well stepping in for me. Everybody's always looking for the next best thing.
“With the situation being that I'm in my contract year, my last year, that's the storyline. Chicago is kind of like that: ‘We'll see you later, Matt.' But I'm like, ‘Wait, I've been here going on eight years, now you're just going to throw me to the side like that?' But that's the nature of the NFL, and I don't mind, I will play wherever I end up.”
Whenever Forte ends up back on the field — maybe this week, maybe Thanksgiving Night against the Packers — it will be interesting to see how the workload is divided.
Langford is certain get more playing time than he did before Forte's injury — just 15 carries for 34 yards in the first six-and-a-half games. But Forte will still be the man — at least for the remainder of this year.
“We'll welcome Matt back with open arms,” coach John Fox said. “In this league, it's about the more the merrier. You try to build competition within your own team. I think it makes everybody on your squad better.”
Forte, who is notorious for his elite level of fitness and has always had an aversion to leaving the field, now believes that an occasional breather might not be a bad idea.
Forte missed just five starts in his first seven seasons and, between carries and catches, he had 731 touches over the previous two seasons.
“I'm going to take my time to be healthy,” he said when asked about his return. “It's good that (Langford) is getting this experience, and I actually like it because now, going forward, I'm not going to have to play every single play. So you can be healthy and be at full speed.
“If you don't have to play every play, you can play most of the plays that you're out there even harder. You don't have to worry about, ‘Do I have enough for the fourth quarter?' “
Rather than be territorial over his role as the Bears' featured runner, Forte has helped Langford get acclimated to the pro game since shortly after he was drafted.
“He's been a great influence since I've been here, (starting back) in OTAs and minicamps,” Langford said. “I feel like I'm in a great position. I'm blessed to be behind a running back like Matt, who's willing to help me out and teach me. Even now, when he's not playing, he's still teaching me.”
Forte would prefer to be teaching by example, but he says helping Langford is just what a good teammate should do and what he would have wanted as a young player.
“Jeremy's got talent, and he's done his job like he's supposed to,” Forte said. “I've constantly worked with him and continue to tell him what I know, so he can be consistent — that's the main thing.
“(Pass) protection is first, after that, holding on to the ball and then, just use his talent. He's obviously drafted for a reason. We all have talent.” Especially in the backfield.