As an NIU student, it’s easy for me to say this, but it’s about time the Bears start using Garrett Wolfe more.

Series after series, game after game, Cedric Benson is proving he’s a prototypical Bears first-round bust. The former Texas star rushed for a meager 46 yards on 17 carries Sunday. Yes, the Bears offensive line is aging and not as good this year, but I don’t care if you have the DeKalb High School offensive line blocking for you, 2.7 yards per carry is unacceptable.

The problem with Benson is that he cannot create yards. All good backs in the NFL, no matter how good or bad the o-line, have the ability to turn nothing into something. Anyone that watched at least one Huskie game in the past two years knows Wolfe has the ability to do that and more. Wolfe was on WSCR 670 The Score on Thursday evening talking about his role with the Bears. He said being a rookie, he knows it’s going to take time to be able to contribute more.

Garrett: Your time is now.

Had it not been for the Bears’ improbable 97-yard drive to win the game on Sunday, the brunt of the blame would have gone to the defense. Yeah, yeah, I know the defense held Philly to three field goal attempts in the red zone, which is a victory for the defense.

However, when the D needed to step up the most, it failed miserably. After the Bears had taken a 12-9 lead, the Eagles marched down the field midway through the fourth quarter on an eight play, 74-yard touchdown drive.

Let’s get realistic, the Bears defense is nowhere near as good as it was for the past two years. As odd as it sounds, the offense is going to have to win games and carry the load for the remainder of the season.

On Sunday, the Bears successfully ran a screen pass. I couldn’t believe it either. But had that pass gone to Wolfe instead of Benson, it would have gone for at least 10 more yards.

Looking at the weapons, the Bears have the potential to be an explosive offense. Imagine Mushin Muhammad (reliable veteran with good hands), Bernard Berrian (speedster), Devin Hester (umm…God), Clark (above average tight end), Olsen (the next Jeremy Shockey) and Wolfe in on the majority of the plays together.

That combination causes a lot of headaches on the opposing side of the ball. If you key in on one guy, another is bound to wind up open. Griese is a good enough quarterback to make the big throws and make this kind of offense work.

With Wolfe’s ability to run the ball and catch out of the backfield – unlike Benson who is prone to dropping the ball at least once a game – the running game can once again become a threat. It may sound like a stretch to some, but having Wolfe in the backfield, along with the other playmakers in on offense, can help the Bears get back to the playoffs and be a good offensive team for years to come.