Chicago Bears: 5 Offensive X-factors for second half of 2017 season

5. Tarik Cohen, RB

Tarik Cohen burst onto the stage with his exciting play during the preseason. Could he do it in the regular season, though? Yes, he could.

In the opening game of the season against the Atlanta Falcons, Cohen had 158 all-purpose yards and caught a touchdown pass. The Falcons had trouble stopping Cohen. His “Human Joystick” moniker sure fit him, as he jumped and cut and ran away from everyone. In the first half of the season, Cohen had 467 total yards from scrimmage. Additionally, he had three touchdowns, one rushing, one receiving, and even one throwing.

Of course, being a rookie Cohen has trouble with consistency. In Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he had just 31 all-purpose yards. Also, he tried to do too much on a punt and fumbled it away. That fumble opened the floodgates and the Bucs blew out the Bears.

It’s been that way the entire first half. He’ll have a good game one week, then disappear the next. In order for the Bears to win some games in the second half, Cohen needs to show up more often. The team needs some consistency from him.

Yes, I know the offense is anemic, but he impressed early on and he can do so again. Perhaps the bye week helped him catch his breath. If he explodes on the field again, after experiencing the first half, he’ll definitely help the Bears win games. His elusive running style complements Howard’s rough yards, and if he can spell Howard a bit, then the Bears’ rushing attack will be deadly.

Also, the Bears should use Cohen more as a pass catcher out of the backfield. As good as Howard is, his hands are still made of stones. He’s dropped some key passes. The Bears used Cohen in the slot a lot lately, but I think having him come out of the backfield more gives Trubisky more options.