The Chicago Bears have earned back-to-back road wins without much aid from running back Matt Forte.
Generally one of the best, but lesser-heralded, running backs in the NFL, Forte currently holds a 3.2 yards per carry average in 2014. Take out the 82-yard performance in Week 1 and the veteran has a total of 54 rushing yards the last two weeks on 25 carries for a 2.16 average.
"It is frustrating, especially during the game because it's not because we are not calling runs," Forte said Thursday, per the Chicago Tribune. "We are calling runs.
"But sometimes the defense was set up where the run play that we called was not going to work against that defense. On the first play of the game (Monday night against the Jets), we ran a quick toss and it wasn't the right look that we got and we ended up losing yardage."
The frustration is understandable for Forte, who already has two games this season with fewer than 3.0 yards per carry. In 2013, he had two games the entire year with fewer than 3.0 yards per carry.
The running back refused to blame it on an offensive line missing its starting center and left guard, saying "everybody has injuries."
On Sunday, Forte will face a Green Bay Packers defense ranked 30th against the run, allowing an average of 156.3 yards per game. Getting the running back going early against the Packers will be the key to keeping Aaron Rodgers and a motivated Packers offense off the field.
We preview and pick every Week 4 game in the latest Around the NFL Podcast.