Ben Johnson came in with a reputation from his time in Detroit. While most young offensive geniuses are all about the quarterback and throwing the football, he was not. Johnson was a big believer in the running game. He believed establishing it consistently made life much harder for opposing defenses. You couldn’t argue, given his rampant success with the Lions. Sure enough, the head coach has been good to his word. After an ugly start through the first four games, the Chicago Bears have emerged as one of the best rushing teams in the NFL.
They rank 2nd through ten games, averaging 146.6 yards. D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai are both averaging 4.7 yards per carry. While Caleb Wiliams has helped this total with his elite scrambling ability, it doesn’t change what Johnson has accomplished. In fact, the stats get even crazier. Nate Tice of Yahoo Sports dug into the numbers further. He came away with some findings that must be seen to be believed. What the Bears are accomplishing this year hasn’t been seen since at least the start of the new millennium.
The running backs have gained 12 or more yards on 9.2% of their runs this year (which ranks fourth) and are currently first in rushing success rate in the entire NFL at a whopping 46.7%, which is easily the best by a Bears offense since at least 2002. In fact, since 2013, five of the Bears’ top 11 games in terms of rushing success rate have come this season, and six of their top 16 since 2002. Meanwhile, 52% of the Bears’ run plays to their running backs gain 4 or more yards, the second-highest rate in the NFL this season.
The Chicago Bears are somehow doing more with less.
Don’t forget this stat encompasses a period where the team had Thomas Jones in the mid-2000s, followed by Matt Forte, and even the brief but productive run of Jordan Howard. The fact that the Chicago Bears have surpassed all of those eras with a running back tandem that most called weak is mind-boggling. It’s an undeniable testament to what Johnson and his coaching staff have accomplished. So much of the success comes up front, with their retooled offensive line controlling the point of attack on every play.
This offense is the living proof that rushing attacks don’t require elite running backs to have elite success. It starts up front. Add elite coaching on top of it and you get this. The best part is that this likely won’t be going anywhere. It isn’t a potential one-year thing. Johnson will run the show moving forward, implementing this philosophy every year. That means if the Bears maintain adequate personnel in the right areas, they will continue to be among the best rushing teams in the NFL for years to come.
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