The Chicago Bears might not have the best running back in the NFL, but when it comes to a one-two punch in the backfield, the team is near the top of the league. Moe Moton of Bleacher Report ranked the five best running back duos in the NFL. The Bears duo came in second place.
The Chicago Bears have the second-best running back duo in the NFL
A good chunk of the credit has to be given to Ben Johnson. When he was with the Detroit Lions, the team had one of the best rushing attacks between David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. That duo topped this ranking before Montgomery was shipped to the Houston Texans.
Now that Johnson is with the Bears, he is running a very similar split and getting strong results once again. D’Andre Swift put up 1,087 yards on 223 attempts. Kyle Monangai recorded 783 yards on 169 attempts. Swift added 299 receiving yards, and Monangai added 164 yards through the air.
While the duo is able to handle more carries than an individual runner, their 1,770 yards would have led the NFL last season. So, while it is not all coming from one player, it is just as impactful as one player.
That is what makes the pairing so valuable. Opposing defenses have to account for both players, and the Bears can keep each running back fresher throughout the season. It also allows Johnson to lean on the running game without overworking one player.
Unfortunately for the Bears, the only duo that ranked ahead of them is the one team that knocked them out of the playoffs last season. The Los Angeles Rams duo of Kyren Williams and Blake Corum finished first.
Williams had 1,252 yards while Corum added 746 yards himself. Corum nearly topped Monangai, but Williams beat out Swift by nearly 200 yards. So, it makes sense why this duo would end up being the best.
The Saints came in third with their combination of Travis Etienne and Alvin Kamara. Kamara is starting to get older or they would have been ranked higher. The Falcons and Lions rounded out the top five. Their duos are mostly just Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs leading the way. Because they have competent backups in Brian Robinson and Isaiah Pacheco, they are able to get ranked so high.
As number ones, they are better than Swift, Etienne, and Williams. However, their numbers two backs are not nearly as impactful as Monangai, Kamara, and Corum.
| More Bears News and Rumors |
Add us as a preferred source on Google