Bears Training Camp Countdown: Eight

It's getting difficult for me to believe that football is just around the corner. This is a busy time of the year for me and my real-life job and so I know that as July draws to a close things start picking up and before I know it it will be December.

At the same time, it still feels a long, long way away from Sept. 13 when the Bears' season officially opens against the Green Bay Packers.

But, the process begins with training camp in just eight days. Eight.

8.

Eight is the number of rushing touchdowns the Bears had as a team last season.

Unfortunately, that is not a happy number to continue our little countdown with. It is a small number. The Bears' rushing offense was poor last season, finishing 27th in the league with 90.1 rushing yards per game.

Their eight team rushing touchdowns was good for 26th, ahead of only Tampa Bay and Buffalo (tied for 27th with seven), Arizona, San Diego and Tennessee (28th, six) and Oakland (29th, because of ties, four).

Six of their eight TDs came from Matt Forte, all other rushing touchdowns were scored by Jay Cutler. Cutler is known for his athleticism but if he is second on the team in rushing scores, it is not a good thing.

Both of Cutler's TDs were 10-yard runs, so it isn't like they were just QB sneaks, he did have to work for them, but still, a running back other than Forte needs to step up. Forte has never really been a touchdown monster. He is second in franchise history in yards and attempts but is fourth in rushing touchdowns and it would take a contract beyond this season in order to have a chance at jumping to second because of his lowly TD production. His career high came as a rookie way back in 2008.

It's not all Forte's fault that he doesn't get more touchdowns, last season Marc Trestman and Co. really enjoyed passing it inside the redzone, against most rational people's judgement.

Ideally the Bears' run game will be more productive this season and Forte will get someone to help take a load off him.

Do you think Forte will get more opportunities to rush for TDs this year?