You could say Brandon Marshall talked his way out of our town. And that’s a pity.
The blabber-mouthed former Bears wide receiver was a one-man variety show, and you never knew what he might have on the agenda, whether it was pages of deposition testimony or a monologue on caring and home life and mental health or snapping photos of the assembled media at his press conferences.
Oh, or jetting off to do a New York TV show every Tuesday.
None of that was a great thing in a business that is defined by management’s mantra: shut up and play until you get carted off.
Now Marshall is with the New York Jets, who are 2-0 for the first time in four years, having humbled the Indianapolis at the Colts’ Lucas Oil Stadium, 20-7.
Marshall had seven catches for 101 yards and a touchdown in the game. On his TD, he caught the ball and then used his 6-4, 230-pound body to bull his way past two defenders and cross the goal line. Tough, fast, huge, strong.
How nice it would be if the Bears had a receiver like that, huh?
Marshall has had seven 1,000-yard receiving seasons in his 10-year career, and he is averaging 82 yards per game this season, which puts him on pace for another 1,000-yard year. His two TDs so far have him on pace for 16 total, better than his career-best 12 TDs in 2013.
The Bears wide receivers this year are on pace for nothing. The leader is injured Alshon Jeffery with 78 yards. Next is Eddie Royal with 49 yards.
Oh, and it’s not like Marshall is catching his passes from a Hall of Fame quarterback, or even a particularly good one. Jets QB Ryan Fitzpatrick gives new meaning to the word journeyman, having played for six teams in his 11-year NFL career, four in the last four years alone.
But maybe he’s smart, since his alma mater is Harvard.
At any rate, it’s times like these when a Bears fan might grow wistful for an offensive threat like Marshall, non-stop chatter included.
