The Chicago Bears were able to secure a victory under difficult circumstances against the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving. Chicago was playing on a short week, and they also didn’t have young, starting quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. He injured his right shoulder on a hit by Vikings safety Harrison Smith. Chase Daniel stepped up big time in Trubisky’s absence, throwing for 230 yards and two touchdowns. However, the run game was relatively quiet, as the duo of Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen combined to only have 27 yards on 10 carries.
Bears Must Run the Ball More
Howard and Cohen
The Bears have two very unique running back at their disposal. Jordan Howard has struggled to get it going this season. He’s only averaging 3.31 YPC but he does have five touchdowns. Howard’s ability to run between the tackles needs to be utilized more.
In addition, Chicago also has Tarik Cohen, a Swiss Army knife type back who can do a little bit of everything. He isn’t quite as good between the tackles but he makes up for it with dynamic speed and agility. Every time he touches the ball, he has the potential to take it to house. With the Bears expected to be playing in bad weather for the remainder of the season, they need to take pressure off of whoever is under center.
When the Bears run game is on point, they’re a difficult team to stop. Running the ball successfully allows them to open up the play action passing game. It also allows Mitchell Trubisky to take a few deep shots down the field. Trubisky has been a factor in the run game as well. He has been able to use his legs to get multiple crucial first downs. Head coach Matt Nagy has also utilized the read option, which forces the opposing defense to honor Trubisky’s athleticism.
Friendlier Matchup Should Help Bears
Last week, the Bears went up against a Lions defense that started off the year as one of the worst run defenses in football. The Lions then acquired nose tackle Damon Harrison from the Giants before the trade deadline. The man they call “Snacks” has perennially been one of the best run stuffers in the game, and proved it as the Bears were virtually shut down on the ground.
The Bears get a matchup this week against the New York Giants, who are giving up around 125 rushing yards per game this season. Without Harrison manning the middle of that defense, teams have been able to run all over the Giants. They had allowed three 100-yard rushers in a row, up until last week, when Josh Adams just missed out on the century mark by 16 yards.
The Last Word
This game against the Giants is a big one for the Bears. Many are looking at this as a trap game of sorts. Chicago will travel back home next week to face the Los Angeles Rams Sunday night in their biggest game on the season. Even if Trubisky returns, look for Matt Nagy and the Bears to put a lot more emphasis on the run game. Don’t be surprised to see if the Howard/Cohen duo goes off at Metlife Stadium this weekend.
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