In a season full of surprises in the NFL, the Chicago Bears have arguably been the biggest ones. These Bears are for real, and it’s believable they could make some real noise in these playoffs for several reasons.
Dominant Run Game
Since the Week 5 bye, the Bears have led the league in rushing yards per game, averaging 170.2, six more than the next-closest team, the Ravens. This marks a significant increase from before the bye, when they averaged only 102.2 rushing yards per game.
It makes sense that the Bears’ running game has kept improving throughout the season. At the start of the year, the offensive line was entirely revamped, with lots of talent but little chemistry among the players. However, with more experience and games under their belt, the unit has risen to second in PFF’s latest offensive line rankings.
The emergence of seventh-round rookie running back Kyle Monangai has also been crucial. The former powerful Rutgers tailback has complemented speedy starter D’Andre Swift perfectly, as the two are averaging 4.9 YPC (Swift) and 4.7 YPC (Monangai), each among the top 20 in the NFL among qualified starters.
“‘It has taken a little bit of time for the O-line and the backs to all get on the same page,’” coach Ben Johnson said before the exhilarating revenge game against the Packers. “‘But since the bye week, I feel like we’ve been unified and everyone understands what the intent is.’”
Defense With Nose for the Football
Chicago’s defense is extremely boom-or-bust.
On one hand, the Bears rank in the bottom ten in the league for punts forced per game, with 3.1. In fact, the Bears did not force a punt against the Packers this past Saturday. This is partially due to their below-average points allowed per game of 23.6, ranking 19th out of 32.
On the other hand, however, this defense sure knows how to force turnovers. Chicago has 31 takeaways on the season, the most in the NFL. They have a league-leading 21 interceptions and are tied for third with 10 fumble recoveries, including a massive goal-line stand against Green Bay.
Kevin Byard leads the NFL with six interceptions, Nahshon Wright is tied for second with five, and Tremaine Edmunds has four picks himself despite playing just 11 games thus far. Wright has been particularly impressive, as he began the season on the practice squad and now is first in the league in total takeaways (eight, with his five interceptions and three fumble recoveries).
This has been achieved despite not being at full strength. Edmunds, Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, T.J. Edwards, Austin Booker, Dayo Odeyingbo, and Shemar Turner have missed significant time this season. However, Dennis Allen has mostly made the right calls, and it has been reminiscent of the 2018 “Monsters of the Midway” Bears defense, which also thrived on takeaways.
Clutch Special Teams Unit
Oftentimes, the special teams have secured wins for Chicago this season.
The kicking game has been the most notable part of the special teams. The Bears have nailed a game-winning field goal as time expired while trailing twice this season: Week 6 against the Commanders (with Jake Moody) and Week 11 against the Vikings (with Cairo Santos).
Santos also received NFC Special Teams POTW this week for his incredible performance against the Packers in very windy conditions. He nailed three 43+ yard field goals, all of which the goal posts were visibly rocking.
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Speaking of the Packers, the Bears recovered an onside kick off the foot of Santos and retrieved it by Josh Blackwell. Per the broadcast, teams were just 4/48 on onside kick recoveries this season, but Blackwell — who also recorded a game-winning field goal block against the Raiders in Week 3 — hauled it in.
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Even kickoffs have helped Chicago win games. Before Santos’ kick against the Vikings in Week 11, it was set up by a huge return by Devin Duvernay, courtesy of a massive block by Blackwell.
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The whole Bears’ team has risen to the occasion when necessary, but Santos, Blackwell, and the entire special teams have elevated the team to another level.
Playoff Outlook
Sure, Chicago might have a rookie head coach. And sure, the Bears might not be the most talented team on paper either. After all, they only had three players selected for the Pro Bowl this past week: Thuney, Dalman, and Byard.
In the postseason, however, winning often depends on controlling time of possession, winning the turnover margin, and dominating the field position battle. Luckily for the Bears, these three key areas are where they excel.
With a strong running game and a capable passing offense, Chicago often wins the time-of-possession battle, ranking fourth in the league in that stat. Additionally, Chicago has a +21 turnover margin (first in the NFL), thanks to its ball-hawking defense and efficient offense, which also greatly benefits the field position battle. Plus, the special teams unit can step up whenever needed, making this an elite team.
With the NFL as wide open as it has been in a long time, why not the Bears?
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