Can the Bears get the running game going this week? |
As frustrating as the Chicago Bears' first two games have been, they are still sitting at 1-1 and right in the middle of the NFC North race. You could make the case that this team should be 0-2, but at the same time, they could also be 2-0, so you take the good with the bad at this point.
There have been plenty of issues surrounding the Bears the first few weeks, and the offensive line remains the biggest problem. That is a gut punch to Ryan Poles, as he felt he did a good enough job building depth around the offensive line, but for whatever reason, that depth hasn't worked in his favor. The offensive line's lack of protection was evident in week one, but it was even more evident on Sunday night. Caleb Williams was completely destroyed, as the Bears quarterback was sacked seven times and took several massive hits throughout the game. Should those types of games continue, Williams will not make it through the season, as the Bears need to get their offensive line fixed soon. Another reason for the Bears' struggles has been Williams's lack of a passing attack, but can you blame him when he saw the pressure he saw last week? Granted, he did show plenty of improvements from week one to week two, but throwing for under 200 yards isn't going to get the job done in today's NFL. At some point, Shane Waldron will have to open up the playbook and trust that Williams will make the right plays, but that won't be possible if he doesn't have the protection he needs. However, one way for the Bears offense to get back on track would be to establish the run, which is something they haven't done in two weeks. Looking back at the past two seasons, you will notice that the Bears have been a top-five running team in each of those seasons, including No.1 in the NFL in 2022. Something has been working, but for whatever reason, it isn't working this season. That is hard to believe when you look at who is in the Bears' backfield, as Khalil Herbert and D'Andre Swift headline that group. Swift was the Bears' big free agent signing on offense and is coming off a career-high in rushing yards while playing for the Eagles last season. Don't get it twisted; the Eagles' offensive line is much better than the Bears' offensive line, but Swift finally showed what he could do as a player when given the reigns to be a full-time back. Before breaking out for more than 1000 yards last season, Swift was mostly an RB who would get you 700-800 yards while also hauling in close to 500 yards receiving. He is the definition of a dual-threat back and was expected to make a massive impact on the Bears offense this season. However, he has gotten off to a slow start this season and has less than 60 yards rushing in two games. It is a cause for concern, but his struggles aren't completely his fault due to the offensive line's struggles. At some point, Swift will break out and have the game the Bears have been waiting for, and this could be the week against the Colts. Indianapolis is coming off a 16-10 loss to the Packers and a 29-27 loss to the Texans in week one. At times, their defense has played well, especially when it comes to getting after the quarterback, but at other times, it has struggled to stop anyone. There is a reason they are ranked near the bottom in most categories, including dead last against the run, as the Colts are allowing close to 200 yards rushing per game. No one is expecting the Bears to reach 200 yards on the ground in this one, but if they can't rush for at least 150 yards against the Colts, you have to wonder if they will ever reach 100 yards this season. Chicago will have a bit of a break this week, with DeForest Buckner missing due to an injury. That alone will make things even easier for the Bears, as this could be the week their offense gets back on track.
