After remaining on top of the NFC North for another week, the Chicago Bears must adapt if they want to stay there and claim their first division title since 2018. Sunday’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers saw plenty of those tweaks pay off but one area where Chicago needs to improve is in the backfield.
This isn’t a statistical problem as the Bears entered Sunday ranking second in the NFL with 146.6 rushing yards per game and racked up another 99 yards against the Steelers. But D’Andre Swift’s performance on Sunday was disappointing as he managed just 15 yards on eight carries.
Some would chalk up Swift’s game as a bad day at the office. But it also may have been enough to re-open the conversation about who should be the starting running back and while Kyle Monangai deserves a promotion.
Kyle Monangai Could Earn Bears’ RB1 Job After D’Andre Swift’s Dud vs. Steelers
Swift’s issues have been well-documented. After signing a three-year, $24 million contract during free agency before last season, Swift had an underwhelming first year in Chicago with 959 yards rushing, six touchdowns and 3.8 yards per carry before reuniting with Ben Johnson, who served as his offensive coordinator with the Detroit Lions in 2022.
That partnership has helped Swift rebound a bit this season with 634 yards, four touchdowns and 4.7 yards per carry in nine games. Yet, his performance has tapered off after running for 124 yards and a touchdown in an Oct. 19 win over the New Orleans Saints.
Swift has still been efficient with 4.8 yards per carry in three games since his explosion, but he also missed a game with a groin injury which opened the door for Monangai to run for 176 yards in a Nov. 2 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. That jumpstarted Monangai’s rookie season as he entered Sunday with 332 yards for three touchdowns and 5.1 yards per carry on the ground, while adding six catches for 49 yards over his past five games.
This strong stretch continued against the Steelers as the rookie carried the ball 12 times for 48 yards and a touchdown. With steady improvement throughout his rookie season, Monangai was making the running back job a conversation before Swift’s dud and may be making a stronger case to supplant him in the near future.
Swift has had a stranglehold on the RB1 job for most of the season and regained his job once he returned from injury. But with a Black Friday matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles and two key divisional matchups with the Green Bay Packers around the corner, the Bears would benefit greatly from making sure their running game doesn’t flame out down the stretch.
This might not mean completely benching Swift as Johnson utilized David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs to perfection during his time in Detroit. But it also could mean more opportunities for Monangai as the Bears look to keep improving as they get closer to the playoffs.