Chicago Bears’ rushing attack achieves feat not seen since 1922

When the Chicago Bears’ offense is on the field, most are watching quarterback Caleb Williams. However, opposing defenses can’t forget about Chicago’s ability in the run game either. It was that work on the ground that helped propel the Bears to a 59-37 victory over the Carolina Panthers in Week 1.

As a team, Chicago rushed the ball 39 times for 291 yards and six touchdowns. D’Andre Swift found the end zone thrice, Williams twice and Kyle Monangai once. The Bears averaged 7.5 yards per carry, consistently taking advantage of the Panthers’ run defense. Moving forward, the ground game will continue to be a crucial threat on Chicago’s offense.

That shouldn’t be too surprising, seeing as the Bears finished third in rushing in head coach Ben Johnson’s debut, averaging 144.5 yards per game. They now exit Week 1 with the top rushing offense, gaining nearly 90 more yards than any other team on the ground.

Chicago will need to prove they can stay consistent in the run game throughout the season. But at the very least, their Week 1 performance will keep them in the history books forever.

Chicago Bears make history with rushing attack 

Seeing 59 points scored, many fans would assume most of the work came through the air, simply due to time. But the Bears bucked that trend, using the two-headed monster of Swift and Monangai, with a splash of Williams, to do their bidding. Now, Chicago is tied with three teams, the most recent being the 1922 Canton Bulldogs, for most rushing touchdowns in a season opener, via Adam Schefter of ESPN.

“The Bears’ six rushing touchdowns today tied the 1920 Detroit Heralds, 1920 Rock Island Independents and the 1922 Canton Bulldogs for the most in a season opening game in NFL history,” Schefter wrote.

Swift led the way with 18 carries for 124 yards and three touchdowns. It’s clear why he recently earned a three-year contract extension. Monangai added 10 carries for 100 yards, including a 61-yard rushing touchdown. Williams’ two touchdowns showed off his playmaking ability with his legs, running 10 times for 65 yards overall.

Chicago’s quarterback will continue to draw major attention from opposing defenses. But being just as, if not more lethal on the ground will make the Bears even harder to beat.

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