Achilles' Heel Hurts His Ankle

Hey, Cedric, don’t let the door slam that gimpy ankle on your way out.

Yes, my favorite target of ire, BEARS running back Cedric Benson, is out for the season, undone by an ankle injury at the end of a 21-yeard run against the Broncos on Sunday. His 3.4 yards per carry this year will now be replaced by Adrian Peterson’s 3.6 yards per carry.

Coach Lovie Smith had an interesting take on the situation: “He went out on a good run.” In context, he would have you believe that he was talking about Benson’s two-game stretch in which he compiled more than seven dozen yards against Seattle and started with 47 on eight carries against Denver.

Still, I find the choice of words intriguing. Benson literally went out on one good run, and perhaps that’s the best thing you can say about his career.

See, here’s what a healthy Cedric Benson brings to the table: He’s not particularly fast, he doesn’t really break tackles, he has problems catching screen passes in the open field, and he seems to be afraid of throwing blocks. Exactly why was this guy ever an NFL running back? (Better question, if that’s what it takes, how did I miss my calling?)

Although it would suck to have to wake up every morning and look in the mirror to the realization that you’re not even the best Adrian Peterson in your own division, right now I’m not sure there’s much of a dropoff for the BEARS using their A-Pete as the primary running back. It’s not just his higher yards per carry: He has shown heart all year long, and particularly in his key touchdown run on Sunday.

And because I went to Holy Cross High School, as did Garrett Wolfe many years later, I’m a big-time Wolfe backer as the backup.

Still, in a way Benson’s injury is sad. That way is that it means the BEARS have wasted yet another first-round draft pick on a running back who flamed out. Cedric “3 Yards And A Cloud Of Dust” Benson now joins Rashaan “Doobie” Salaam and Curtis “I Would Prefer Not To” Enis.

And that brings us to next year’s draft and/or free agent signings. Let’s see, the BEARS need …

-- A running back (Sorry, Adrian Peterson, you’re not exactly Adrian Peterson, if you know what I mean)
-- A quarterback (I would not be opposed to Donovan McNabb)
-- A marquee wide receiver (Bernard Berrian has been the target of far too many passes that have been intercepted)
-- Replacements for the aging offensive line
-- Depth in the defensive secondary
-- A linebacker good enough to complement Brian Urlacher, if Lance Briggs leaves

And if there weren’t so many other glaring needs, I wouldn’t mind solidifying the tight end position. In other words, thanks to Benson's insistence on being the primary running back, the BEARS are now set only at kick returner, middle linebacker, place kicker, maybe punter, and, if everyone stays healthy, defensive line.

Well, Ced, you got your wish. And the fans got ours: Anyone else.