The Chicago Bears made it to the bye week without letting the season spiral out of control. It came close. Starting 0-2 while including a 4th quarter collapse and a 52-21 blowout loss would’ve done it to other teams. Yet head coach Ben Johnson managed to rally the troops and deliver two scrappy wins. He knew going into the break that he and his coaching staff must prioritize finding ways to shore up their areas of weakness. One of the most obvious is the running game, which currently ranks second-worst in the NFL. Former Bears legend Matt Forte has some thoughts about that.
He understands why Johnson has stuck with D’Andre Swift to this point. The veteran can be so dangerous due to his blazing speed. All you need is one well-blocked play, and he can house it. Unfortunately, his mediocre vision and patience often lead to missed opportunities. Forte believes the Bears might have something with rookie Kyle Monangai, who has flashed in his limited opportunities this season. He told CHGO that he hopes the Bears give him more.
Matt Forte understands the position better than most.
If he says there are limitations to what Swift can offer as the primary back, it might be wise to take his advice. Don’t be fooled by Monangai’s 3.3 yards per carry. That is mostly because of an eight-yard loss he had against Dallas, where he broke four tackles before finally going down. In truth, he has averaged over four yards per carry this season. His strength, contact balance, and vision are big positives, carrying over from what you saw at Rutgers. The likeliest explanation for his lack of chances is his speed. He’s not fast, and Coach Johnson typically prefers backs who have juice.
Still, there has to be a point where the Bears do something. Their current approach hasn’t worked. Matt Forte can see that. Fans can see that. If Swift can’t get things going, maybe Monangai can. Some guys just bring a steady presence to the ground game, even if they lack the home run swing. The 7th round pick has that feel.
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