Two weeks in, the questions about Chicago’s defense and the unknowns around a young quarterback are still there. But one thing has become impossible to argue with: this team runs the football better than anyone else in the NFL. Monday night against Philadelphia is where that identity gets its first real stress test.
Bears’ Run Game Ranks First in the NFL Heading Into Eagles Matchup
The two-game numbers are legitimate. D’Andre Swift has 169 yards and three touchdowns on the ground; Kyle Monangai has 147 yards on just 20 carries, averaging 7.3 yards per attempt. Combined, Chicago has churned out 425 rushing yards and six touchdowns through two games — good for the top spot in the NFL in both rushing yards per game and rushing scores. Swift ran for 124 yards and three scores in the Carolina blowout, then still managed 45 more against a far tougher Minnesota front in the rain. And while Monangai has been remarkably efficient with his opportunities, Swift remains the Bears‘ primary back in terms of workload, leading Monangai 40-24 in touches through two games and 62%-38% in offensive snap share. That’s not just a couple of running backs on a hot streak. That’s a real identity.
Why Philadelphia’s Run Defense Isn’t as Settled as Its Reputation
Philadelphia has already allowed 132 rushing yards in its opener and 122 more against Tennessee, giving up 254 yards on the ground through two games. The Eagles also still don’t have a takeaway, while their opponents have forced two turnovers from Jalen Hurts. On top of that, starting left guard Landon Dickerson landed on injured reserve and will miss at least four games, forcing Philadelphia to reshuffle its interior line. Cam Jurgens has moved to left guard, with Drew Kendall taking over at center — another adjustment for an Eagles offensive line facing a Bears front that has been physical from the opening snap. This isn’t the immovable, championship-pedigree run defense from a year and a half ago. It’s a unit patching holes while trying to hold serve.
Chicago has history here, too. Last November, the Bears ran for 281 yards against this same defense in a win that first put the league on notice about what Ben Johnson’s offense could become. Both sidelines remember it.
What Needs to Happen for Chicago to Win This Game
This is the part that actually matters for Monday: establish the run early, and everything else gets easier. Play-action opens up off it, the tight ends get cleaner angles underneath, and whoever’s playing quarterback — Case Keenum is squarely in the mix with Caleb Williams out and Tyson Bagent in concussion protocol — is asked to make fewer high-difficulty throws. A shaky quarterback situation is a lot more survivable behind a run game averaging north of 200 yards a game.
The flip side is real, too. If Philadelphia can bottle up Swift and Monangai on early downs and force Chicago into second-and-long, obvious passing situations, a patchwork quarterback room gets exposed fast, and Vic Fangio’s defense is built to feast on exactly that kind of predictability.
What to Watch Monday Night
Track first- and second-down efficiency before anything else — that tells you whether Chicago is staying ahead of the chains or getting pushed into obvious pass situations. Watch whether Johnson sticks with the run even if the first handful of carries stall behind Philadelphia’s replacement guard. And watch the box counts: if the Eagles start loading up to stop the run, that’s Chicago’s cue that the game plan is working, quarterback situation and all.
Two weeks of tape say the Bears can run the ball with anyone in the league. Monday night against a defense that’s more vulnerable than its name suggests is the chance to prove that identity travels — and right now, it might be the only thing keeping this offense standing.
Bears’ NFL-Best Run Game Holds Key to Beating Eagles Monday Night