[CBFF] CT: Bears' Muhammad sees need to raise bar

[Victor Waldron]

(I find it hard to believe that a lack of "chemistry" with Orton was
the reason why Moose dropped 11 passes. He's paid to catch the damn
ball regardless of who is throwing it. If it hits your hands you'd
better catch it.)

Bears' Muhammad sees need to raise bar
By K.C. Johnson
Tribune staff reporter

June 7, 2006

On paper, the Bears will return the NFL's second-ranked defense and
eighth-ranked running game, which will operate behind an offensive
line that remains intact.

The crumpled piece that sits in the wastebasket, then, would seem to
represent the passing game. That finished 31st last season.

Muhsin Muhammad, the team's "leading" receiver, might have caught more
criticism than passes last season and agrees there is room for
improvement—albeit with a caveat.

"Anytime your leading receiver only has 700-some yards, whatever it
was—I don't know what it was—you stand for room for improvement,"
Muhammad said. "I think that would make the team more versatile.

"But within the scheme of what we're doing, we weren't asked to do a
lot last year.

"We won 11 games. This is a team game. You're talking about individual
statistics in comparison to the whole team that went 11-5.

"We scored 21 points in a [playoff] game that we lost and offense was
supposed to be the weakest link. Yeah, we do need to score more
points. But within Lovie's system, we're doing what's asked of us."

Indeed, coach Lovie Smith favors a grind-it-out running attack and
swarming defense to win games.

That's one reason why Muhammad finished with 64 catches for 750 yards
and why the emergence of a consistent No. 2 receiver will be a
dominant story line come July training camp.

Another reason would be quarterback Rex Grossman's injury. Muhammad
failed to establish consistent chemistry with Kyle Orton and dropped
11 passes.

Muhammad is excited to work with Grossman in their second year in
offensive coordinator Ron Turner's system.

"Rex and I said it to ourselves on the first day [of mini-camp] that
it's a lot different than last year," Muhammad said. "We know the
system a lot better. We're a lot more comfortable with what we're
doing out here."

No shows

As expected, running back Thomas Jones and linebacker Lance Briggs
didn't attend Tuesday's organized team activity, the first of 11 such
team gatherings through June 22.

The Bears can't fine either player for missing the non-mandatory
workouts. Both players attended the mandatory three-day mini-camp.