The Bears head to Lambeau Field on Sunday for their first meeting of the season with the Packers, and the timing gives the matchup a little extra edge. Division games always carry that feel, but this one comes with the kind of built-in tension that makes the Week 5 label almost feel too small.
Chicago’s ground game has been the real engine through the first month of the 2026 NFL season. Under Ben Johnson, the Bears have turned in the league’s most efficient rushing attack and piled up 785 rushing yards, which leads the NFL. That production has come from a backfield that has worked exactly the way Johnson likes it: with two runners complementing each other rather than one back carrying the whole load.
Kyle Monangai has edged out D’Andre Swift so far, with 324 rushing yards to Swift’s 311. That close split is no accident. Johnson built his reputation on a similar setup in Detroit, where David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs formed the “Sonic and Knuckles” pairing - Montgomery bringing the power, Gibbs bringing the burst.
Chicago has been trying to recreate that kind of balance with Swift and Monangai, and for the first four weeks it has worked. The two backs offer different strengths, and together they’ve given opposing defenses a tough read.
That balance, though, gets tested now. Monangai has been ruled out against Green Bay because of turf toe, and the timing could hardly be worse after he posted one of the biggest games of his life against the Jets in Week 4.
With Monangai sidelined, the Bears are leaning heavily on Swift. Roschon Johnson is next on the depth chart, but he has only 535 total yards in his entire 3+ seasons in the NFL. Chicago clearly trusts Swift, especially after agreeing to a 3-year contract extension that will keep him in the windy city for at least the next few seasons.
Now the Bears need more from him than they have all year. Swift has already shown what he can do, rushing for 124 yards on 18 carries in Week 1 against the Panthers. But that game came with Monangai available behind him, ready to step in and keep the backfield rolling.
This time, Swift has to carry the heavier load. The good news for Chicago is that Monangai wasn’t holding up the rushing attack on his own. Ben Johnson’s play design and the Bears’ offensive line have helped make this run game hum, and Swift should still have the support he needs to push Chicago toward a win over the Packers.
In Other News...
Khalil Mack Reunion Talk Just Raised Bears Fans' Expectations
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The fit is obvious on paper: Chicago has room to work with under the cap and a clear need for help rushing the passer, while the Chargers have not publicly signaled any desire to move Mack. For Bears fans, the possibility is enough to stir up memories of what Mack meant the first time around, even if the discussion is still just that, discussion, with no deal confirmed. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Get A Defensive Return While Another Tough Roster Decision Looms
The Bears got a small defensive boost heading into Week 5, activating linebacker Noah Sewell and elevating running back Zavier Scott from the practice squad as they trimmed and reshaped the game-day roster. The moves arrived alongside a setback on defense, with cornerback Kyler Gordon and defensive end Shemar Turner downgraded to out for the game, a reminder of how quickly the depth chart can shift this time of year.
Sewells return gives Chicago another body to work with on the second level as the Bears try to stay afloat through injuries and weekly roster churn. Gordons situation also puts the front office and coaching staff on a clock, because the Bears are planning to bring him back next week and will need to create a spot for him when that happens. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Return Game Is Becoming An Early Concern
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Special teams coordinator Richard Hightower has already pointed to the problems inside the unit, and the list is familiar for a struggling return group. Penalties have slowed things down, and the Bears are still searching for cleaner technique and some scheme tweaks that can help the operation settle in before the margin gets even tighter. [Read more 🡒]