{"id":100231,"date":"2020-12-21T22:59:45","date_gmt":"2020-12-22T03:59:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=100231"},"modified":"2020-12-21T22:59:45","modified_gmt":"2020-12-22T03:59:45","slug":"the-chicago-bears-process-is-more-impressive-than-the-results","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2020\/12\/21\/the-chicago-bears-process-is-more-impressive-than-the-results\/","title":{"rendered":"The Chicago Bears Process is More Impressive Than the Results"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Chicago Bears<\/a> have won back-to-back games for the first time in weeks but it\u2019s their process that has been most impressive. Weeks 5 against Tampa and Week 6 against Carolina were the last games the Bears won in a row. You had to go back several regimes to find a streak as horrid as their six-game skid. But they find themselves in playoff contention after finding themselves. Is this real? If so, how sustainable is it?<\/p>\n

Impressed with Chicago Bears Process More Than Results<\/h1>\n

Trubisky Lazor Focused<\/h2>\n

A union that cannot be overlooked is that of quarterback Mitchell Trubisky<\/a><\/strong> and offensive coordinator Bill Lazor<\/a><\/strong>. You might be saying, \u201cwell duh\u201d. But Lazor just began calling plays in Week 10 after Matt Nagy<\/a><\/strong> finally handed over the reins. Chicago spent much of the year dwelling in the doldrums offensively. But they\u2019re fifth in scoring and seventh in yards per game over the last three weeks.<\/p>\n

Trubisky has played well individually, completing over 73 percent of his passes for 736 yards, five touchdowns, and just one interception.\u00a0 Even more promising is he got back to using his legs effectively, rushing 15 times for 63 yards over his last three. Over his first five starts, those numbers were just over 58 percent completion, 802 yards, nine touchdowns, and five picks.<\/p>\n

Now, Lazor and Trubisky joined forces for the loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 12. He didn\u2019t perform well, completing 56.5 percent of his passes for 242 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. The point is, this stretch has been nice, but we cannot forget how this team looked just three weeks ago against a tougher opponent than any from the last two weeks.<\/p>\n

Still, the Bears have been getting Trubisky out of the pocket and on the move. The fourth-year pro says these are things he has requested but those on the outside have begged them to use him this way forever. The play-calling change may have salvaged the careers of Nagy, Lazor, and Trubisky. Maybe not in Chicago, but certainly somewhere.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/twitter.com\/MarkSchofield\/status\/1341120481315975173<\/p>\n

Rumble, Young Man, Rumble<\/h2>\n

Perhaps even more key to this turnaround than the rejuvenation of the passing game has been the discovery of a running game. After averaging 138 rushing yards per game over their first three games, the Bears averaged 52.57 rush yards per game. That\u2019s as a team! But they\u2019ve rededicated themselves, cranking out 157 per over the last month.<\/p>\n

David Montgomery<\/a><\/strong> has been a man on fire. He\u2019s got 434 yards and five touchdowns on the ground while averaging 6.11 yards per tote over his last four games since returning from a concussion. He\u2019s also caught 13 of 16 targets for 137 yards and a touchdown. Even when the Bears were running well earlier in the year, Montgomery wasn\u2019t running like this.<\/p>\n

Some will point out that the Bears have faced teams that averaged out to 24th in run defense DVOA entering Week 15, per Football Outsiders<\/a>. It\u2019s a fair point but we saw this team struggle to run the ball for weeks. Mongomery didn\u2019t even cross the century mark in a single game until Week 12. Thing is, they won\u2019t face much more resistance the rest of the way.<\/p>\n

Chicago plays Jacksonville and Green Bay in the last two weeks. The Jaguars are 24th in rush defense DVOA and 30th in rushing yards allowed. We already know what they did in a losing effort against the Packers. We should expect an even heavier dose in what could be a game that means everything to the Bears and close to nothing for the Packers (which won\u2019t likely affect who plays).<\/p>\n

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#Bears<\/a> <\/p>\n

More volume for RB David Montgomery. 32 carries vs. MIN. Play-speed continues to elevate. <\/p>\n

CHI is mirroring the run & pass game to create conflict for the defense (outside zone run action). @NFLMatchup<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/UQMD7nR5bQ<\/a><\/p>\n

— Matt Bowen (@MattBowen41) December 21, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n