If anyone knows that the Chicago Bears can win with a backup, it should be backup running back Kyle Monangai. Monangai has been the Bears' backup for two seasons, with 1,107 career rushing yards. So, he was one of the players least surprised by the Bears going 2-0 in their first two games without Caleb Williams.
Kyle Monangai expresses confidence in Bears coaches
Monangai noted after the Bears Week 4 win over the New York Jets that the entire roster practices as if they are going to start. That mentality had the team knowing that Tyson Bagent and Case Keenum were ready.
"Everyone puts the work in as if they're the starter,” said Monangai. “You never know when your name is going to get called. Case (Keenum) last week, Tyson (Bagent) this week, everybody. It's a group effort at the end of the day. It's not one single person, and we understand that. We put the work in day in and day out during the week, and it showed today."
This can be a quote about Monangai himself. He is a backup, but some would call him one of the 1B to D’Andre Swift, who is the 1A. Still, Swift starts, and Swift leads the team in carries.
Still, Monangai had 169 carries last season, and he has 60 carries already this year. His work is dictated by Swift. However, the team wants to keep Swift available through the course of the year, and depending on the game script, they like to give Monangai work.
Still, Monangai could go into some games expecting five carries, and some games expecting 20. He has to prepare for both.
In the first three weeks of the season, he had 10 carries per game. Then, Swift fumbled against the New York Jets, and the team eased off his work. They gave Monangai a heavy dose of carries. He produced 146 yards and two touchdowns on 30 rushing attempts.
So, while Monangai is saying that he trusts Bagent because he knows he practices like a starter, Bagent can say that he had no fear when the team moved off of Swift in Week 4 because of what Monangai brings to the table.
It will be interesting to see what type of workload Monangai has next week. Does the team let him build on a big game, or is the game situation dictating his workload?
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