Latest on Michael Ford's Campaign to Make Bears' Roster from Chicago Tribune...

The following excerpt is from an article written by Brad Biggs, one of the Tribune's primary Bears correspondents. The double spin-move TD run referenced by Biggs was impressive. It can be seen here (Bears Raiders Highlights - at 2 minutes):

LINK

P.S. Flynn had a horrendous outing against the Bears' defense.

quote:

---

Rookie Push I. The more you see from Michael Ford, the undrafted free agent from LSU, the more you think he might really be pushing for a spot on the 53-man roster. Ford followed up the 100-yard kickoff return he had last week against the Chargers with a better performance on the ground. He carried nine times for 58 yards, scoring on a 15-yard run in the fourth quarter when he made a nice cut and then a spin move. Ford also had a 17-yard gain around left end, punishing Raiders cornerback Usama Young at the end of the play.

The spin move was daring, the type of move that will often get a ball carrier knocked across the field.

“You gotta take a chance sometimes,” Ford said with a smile. “It was guts.”

Meanwhile, Armando Allen, who held the role of the third running back last season, did not play. Allen has been working his way back from a hamstring pull suffered at the end of the team’s stay in Bourbonnais. He’s been active in practices recently but on a limited basis.

There is a little bit of apples to oranges when you evaluate the two backs. Ford is a compact, physical runner at 5-foot-10, 216 pounds. Allen is listed at 5-foot-8, 190. All things equal, it’s probably a no brainer to go with the back that is 26 pounds heavier. But Allen has more experience on special teams and a better understanding of the offense at this point. But if Ford is cast as the third running back, there ought to be time for him to learn as he goes behind Matt Forte and Michael Bush. It’s going to be interesting. Ford now has a team-high 30 carries for 101 yards. They are not numbers that excite you, and he’s been running against a lot of defenders that are going to be seeking jobs very soon, but there are traits to like.

“It’s just getting better and better every week,” Ford said. “That is the goal, getting with Matt and Bush and trying to learn from those guys and improve every week. The goal (is to make the team). That is all I can do is keep working hard and let the chips fall where they fall.”

---

LINK