The Chicago Bears didn’t plan for a running back controversy in late November, but the numbers forced one.
On Sunday against the Steelers, D’Andre Swift had 8 carries for just 15 yards and a fumble.
Meanwhile, rookie Kyle Monangai ran the ball 12 times for 48 yards and a touchdown, his third consecutive game with a score.
Even further, Kyle Monangai had a 78 rushing grade compared to D’Andre Swifts 46 per PFF.
Monangai also logged double-digit carries for the third time in four games, pushing this Bears team to a turning-point decision that could redefine their playoff ceiling.
On paper, Swift is fine.
Not injured, not ineffective, not a liability. In fact, he’s hovering around five yards per carry since mid-October.
But Chicago’s offense has shifted away from what Swift does best.
Ben Johnson’s scheme, with this roster, is no longer about explosive perimeter runs and matchup-based leverage.
With a young quarterback, a finally solid offensive line, and a passing game that leans on rhythm over fireworks, Chicago needs a back who finishes runs, not just sets them up. A back who absorbs contact and keeps going.
Monangai’s Rise Is Revealing
GettyBears RB Kyle Monangai
While Kyle Monangai’s ascension is easy to frame as a “spark,” the film tells a more important truth: his skill set aligns far more cleanly with the version of the Bears that exists today.
Watch Chicago’s last four games and three traits jump out:
- Downhill urgency – Monangai hits gaps before defensive fronts can widen. Chicago’s interior line (especially in duo and inside zone) benefits massively from that timing.
- Contact translation – Against the Steelers, Monangai had 22 yards after contact to Swifts 12.
- Predictability the Bears can use – When Monangai enters the game, Chicago’s offense becomes more stable. Not flashier but sturdier. Contrast that with Swift, whose comfort comes from spacing and bounce-outs.
In a league where roles evolve weekly, Monangai isn’t just the hotter hand. He’s simply the more compatible identity piece.
The True Stakes: The Final Six Weeks Will Define Chicago’s Season
GettyBears RB Kyle Monangai, QB Caleb Williams, and company
Chicago’s margin for error is evaporating with the Eagles and Packers looming.
And the question the Bears must ask themselves is simple: Who gives you the offense you want to be in December?
Cause the NFC North won’t be won by explosive plays. It’ll be won by the team that can control games, shorten possessions, and deliver first downs when everyone in the stadium knows what’s coming.
Right now, that profile leans far more toward Monangai than Swift.
Now don’t get me wrong, what this doesn’t mean Swift gets benched. Johnson’s Detroit background (the Gibbs/Montgomery duo) proves he sees value in a complementary rotation.
Swift can still be the space-creation back, the screen-game threat, the perimeter counterpunch. But what he likely can’t be, at this moment, is the engine.
The Bears can keep pretending nothing has changed in the backfield. But the tape, the workload, the production, and the timing all say the same thing: Chicago has to decide who gets the RB1 workload, and they can’t ignore it much longer.
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