Atop the NFC North at 4-2, the Bears are a long way from pushing the panic button after a disjointed offensive performance.
In fact, they're going as positive as you can imagine after handing the ball off only 12 times Sunday in a 23-20 loss to the Seahawks in which they made themselves one-dimensional.
Offensive coordinator Mike Martz stepped forward Wednesday and said he needed to call more runs, particularly in the second half, when only five were called.
Martz talked about the need to go to more three- and five-step drops so quarterback Jay Cutler can get the ball out quickly, and he shared his unabashed faith in an inexperienced offensive line that will not change for Sunday's game with the Redskins at Soldier Field.
Martz admitted what they're doing might be a little fast for the young linemen, but he heaped praise on rookie right tackle J'Marcus Webb and second-year right guard Edwin Williams for their effort in the second half of the loss, and used the familiar refrain that the Bears need to do the little things better.
"Mike's going to take the blame since that's kind of how Mike is," Cutler said. "As players we have to take more responsibility for this. We've been in the system long enough, we should have executed better."
Even the Redskins' 32nd-ranked defense is licking its chops, to borrow the phrase Seahawks safety Lawyer Milloy used following Sunday's game. Washington is 31st vs. the pass and opposing quarterbacks have a 90.9 passer rating against them. The Redskins do have 13 sacks, tied for 11th.
"With this team, you see a lot of sacks, interceptions," cornerback Carlos Rogers told reporters in Washington. "A lot of times, (Cutler) just throws right into coverage."
Rogers isn't convinced about any growth on the line, either, saying, "We have some (blitzes) that we put in. I've seen a lot of nickel blitzes open up, a lot of linebacker blitzes, a lot of D-line rushing get to him. They've been leaving holes open everywhere."
Coach Lovie Smith just about publicly mandated the Bears, who have passed 64 percent of the time when Cutler plays, will be more balanced. Offensive line coach Mike Tice believes running the ball will help the linemen gain some confidence. If nothing else, it should keep opposing defenses off balance a little more.
"Flip a coin I guess," Cutler said. "They're either going to have to pass protect or run block. If we're going to get blitzed as much as we're getting blitzed, it's going to be hard for them to pick up guys on the move and find gaps and stuff like that. It's really difficult for an offensive line."
On two of the five runs in the second half against the Seahawks, the Bears used an unbalanced line with the tight end at left tackle.
Greg Olsen was that player for the first attempt that resulted in Seahawks defensive end Red Bryant, who outweighs Olsen by 68 pounds, easily dropping Matt Forte for no gain. Cutler was sacked for a safety on the next snap. Martz said the Bears expected a smaller end to be there and defended the call.
"I think (Olsen) is pretty good (blocking), don't you?" Martz said. "… I like him over there. He does a great job. He has help with him too. We like him as a blocker right now. … He was on (Julius) Peppers all of camp if you watched him. So that is how he earns his paycheck too, as well as being a receiver.
"I don't consider that a gamble. That's what we do. Tight ends have to do that. The guy over there when we saw them in unbalanced was a different guy. They changed it. It was a bigger guy. We still have to block him."
No doubt, the focus will be on the blocking again come Sunday.
