The Chicago Bears offense is the unit that will determine the team’s fate in 2025. Nobody argues that. For decades, it has been the offense that constantly held the team back. The Bears have fielded good defenses every decade, but constant failures at producing points make winning difficult. Last year was no exception. Things were a complete mess. No schematic cohesion. Way too many sacks and penalties. It was ugly, which is saying something with this team’s track record.
That was why the Bears spared no resource to lure Ben Johnson from Detroit to become their new head coach. He’d delivered three outstanding seasons with the Lions, producing a top five offense and constant winning. If anybody could pull Chicago out of the mud, it would be him. Things haven’t started smoothly in training camp. Quarterback Caleb Williams has sometimes struggled with accuracy, and the starters aren’t handling pre-snap operations well. However, Adam Hoge and Adam Jahns of CHGO have already noticed one unexpected positive.
The running game is already clicking.
Jahns: Right now, the 70 percent goal feels like a tough one to reach for Williams. But it’s still a worthy challenge for him to have every day. If we’re looking for positives, the Bears’ run game clicked on Day 2.
It can be difficult to gauge what’s really working without the pads on. But seeing the offensive coaches celebrate behind the play and the space that the backs had made it pretty clear that good things were happening. Rookie Kyle Monangai ended practice with a long run for a touchdown, too.
Hoge: I’ll pass on any grand proclamations about the running game until the pads go on, but I will say I like what I’ve seen schematically. Some big running lanes have opened up.
This is a big departure from previous Chicago Bears camps.
Those who have followed the team for long enough know that running the ball well this early in training camp doesn’t happen. Usually, fans wouldn’t know if the Chicago Bears had a good running game or not until the regular season began. What makes this so encouraging is the success isn’t because they have a star running back doing the work. This is a schematic win. It is clear Johnson’s system is already working. Detroit had one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL during his three years there, ranking 11th, 5th, and 6th. His ability to design plays and demand precise execution led to constant open lanes.
This is a big development for the Bears. Historically, they’ve always been a better team when they could run the ball. They ranked 25th last season. If they can improve on that, it will be of immediate benefit to Williams, who won’t have to throw the ball as often in disadvantageous down and distances. He’ll also get to utilize play action more often. No doubt this is precisely what Johnson wants.
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