The Chicago Bears' turnaround this season has been one of the NFL’s better under-the-radar stories, and a big part of that resurgence has come on the ground. While much of the national spotlight has focused on the quarterback play and a revamped defense, it’s been the duo of Kyle Monangai and D’Andre Swift quietly powering one of the league’s most efficient rushing attacks. Averaging 4.9 yards per carry, the Bears finished the regular season as the third-best rushing offense in the league - and that’s not by accident.
Monangai and Swift have formed a complementary backfield that’s given defenses headaches all year. Swift brings the burst and vision, while Monangai has been the tough, downhill runner who can wear down a defense over four quarters.
Together, they’ve been a revelation. But as the Bears head into their biggest game in years - a playoff showdown with the Rams - it’s time to take a hard look at how those carries are being split.
Let’s start with the facts: the Bears’ ground game hit a wall last week. Chicago managed just 93 rushing yards against the Packers - their second-lowest total since Week 8.
The only game where they ran for less was the regular-season finale against Detroit. That’s not the kind of trend you want heading into a matchup with a Rams defense that has quietly been one of the stingiest in the league when it comes to allowing rushing touchdowns.
A big part of the recent dip in production? Kyle Monangai just hasn’t looked like the same player down the stretch.
The rookie - who’s been one of the steals of this year’s draft - hasn’t topped 50 rushing yards in any of his last five games. He’s averaging just 3.8 yards per carry in that stretch and hasn’t found the end zone since Week 13 against the Eagles, which also happens to be the last time he really looked like the punishing, tone-setting back we saw earlier in the year.
That’s why it might be time for the Bears to lean a little more heavily on D’Andre Swift this Sunday.
Swift has quietly been on a tear. He’s scored five touchdowns over his last five games and has shown time and again that he thrives with a bigger workload.
When Swift gets 14 or more carries, he’s topped 90 rushing yards in five of those seven games. And it’s not just volume - his two most efficient performances of the season, in terms of yards per carry, came in games where he hit that 14-carry mark (Week 6 against Washington and Week 13 versus Philly).
He’s the kind of back who gets better as the game goes on - the more touches he gets, the more dangerous he becomes. And in a playoff environment where every possession counts, that’s the kind of player you want with the ball in his hands.
Now, this isn’t to say Monangai should be shelved. He’s still a valuable piece of this offense, and his physical running style can be a real asset, especially in short-yardage or clock-chewing situations. But after logging 36 snaps against the Packers, it might be wise to scale back his role just a bit - not as a punishment, but as a strategic adjustment.
The Bears’ offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will obviously have to read the flow of the game. If Chicago jumps out to an early lead, maybe Monangai gets more work to help grind the clock. If it turns into a shootout or a tight, late-game battle, Swift’s versatility and explosiveness could be the difference-maker.
The bottom line? The Bears are in uncharted territory, playing their most meaningful football in years.
And in games like this, you ride the hot hand. Right now, that hand belongs to D’Andre Swift.