The Chicago Bears‘ offense hasn’t really operated at full strength since week 1 of the season, when they hung 59 on Carolina. Since then, it seems like somebody important has always been hurt. From the end of week 2 through week 5, they didn’t have quarterback Caleb Williams due to a hamstring injury. Since the win over the Jets earlier this month, they also haven’t had Kyle Monangai. The running back rushed for 140 yards that day, but unfortunately, it came at a cost. He was dealing with a turf toe injury that made him week-to-week, according to head coach Ben Johnson.
Nobody has seen him since. The running game has suffered without him. While the Bears have still managed to generate production on the ground, it hasn’t been nearly as potent without Monangai. It was hoped he might be ready to return this week, but he was not present at the team’s first practice open to the media. That led many to feel the Bears won’t have him for a critical matchup against the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN poked holes in that assessment, though.
“Bears running back Kyle Monangai (turf toe) has missed the past three weeks, but his chances are better of playing this week.”
So what is going on with Kyle Monangai?
One would think that if he is close to returning, he’d at least be limited in practice. So far, he’s been MIA. The hope is that because Chicago doesn’t play until Monday, they might’ve given him an extra day of rest. If so, there is a strong possibility he will return to practice on Thursday. If that happens, then what Fowler said is true. Monangai should be available for that game, and the timing wouldn’t be better. Seattle is 6th in the NFL against the run this season. They’ve allowed 100 or more yards in just two games.
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If the Bears want to keep that dynamic Seahawks pass rush off of Williams, they must be able to run the ball. Head coach Ben Johnson faces a stiff challenge trying to do that against Seahawks head coach Mike McDonald. He’s one of the best at scheming to stop the run. Johnson will need to be in his bag early and often to give Kyle Monangai and D’Andre Swift some lanes. If the Bears can get some play action going, their chances of pulling off the upset will go higher.
Monangai is the missing element of this offense.
One can never underestimate the value of having a tough, physical runner in your arsenal. That has been the identity Monangai brings to the Bears. Roschon Johnson has tried to fill that role in his absence, but the long-time backup doesn’t have the same explosiveness or vision. With Swift apparently nursing an injury, it’s been difficult to generate any big plays on the ground. Everything comes down to how healthy Monangai is. The fact that Chicago didn’t place him on Injured Reserve suggests he suffered a Grade 2 turf toe injury. This usually requires 2-6 weeks of recovery.
Even then, turf toe is notoriously difficult to shake. Some athletes deal with it all season. It often comes down to how much pain they can tolerate. Monangai is tough. There is little question that he can play through pain. It feels like the Bears used the past three weeks to assess how bad the damage is and give the toe some time to settle down. Moving forward, they will implement various measures to mitigate the problem. We’ll find out where things stand by Thursday afternoon.
