Chicago Bears: 5 Thoughts on Week 4 victory over Detroit Lions

4. The running game really helped settle Justin Fields

The fans have implored Nagy to use the running game more than he has. He continually says that he’ll use the running game but it doesn’t happen.

In the game against the Lions, the Bears made a concerted effort to have the running game become a big part of the offense. It happened right from the opening drive. The Bears marched 75 yards on 12 plays. Of those, nine of them were runs for 46 yards. The drive culminated with a David Montgomery four-yard touchdown run.

On their second drive, the Bears went 89 yards. They ran it five of the six plays and Montgomery finished it with his second touchdown run.

For the game, the Bears ran the ball 39 times for 188 yards and three touchdowns. Damien Williams ran for the third score. They went into the game averaging 23 runs per game. Montgomery finished the game with 23 carries for 106 yards and two touchdowns.

Having an effective running really helped Fields. It took the pressure off of him and freed up some space for the receivers downfield. In fact, Fields completed five passes of over 20 yards.

If the running game continues to be effective, it’ll help in Fields’ development. With the attention on the running back, he can not only find a receiver downfield but also move around and use his own legs to run the ball himself.

One bad note on the game: Montgomery suffered what at first looked like a gruesome knee injury. From reports in the locker room, however, it seems that he escaped serious injury. The Bears announced that he had a knee sprain and will be out 4-5 weeks. That isn’t good, but it’s better than missing the rest of the season. Williams and Khalil Herbert will need to step up in Montgomery’s absence.