Chicago Bears: 5 Thoughts on big victory over Las Vegas Raiders

4. The running game continues to shine despite Montgomery’s absence

One of the positive aspects of the Chicago Bears offense has been the running game. David Montgomery had two 100+ yard games in the first four weeks. However, he suffered a sprained knee late in the game against the Lions. We probably won’t see him until after the Bears’ Week 10 bye.

With the uncertainty surrounding the rookie Fields, the running game is crucial for success. The better the running game, the more comfortable Fields can get. Montgomery was doing a great job of running the ball.

How would the running game perform without Montgomery? That might have been a question general manager Ryan Pace had in mind when he signed Damien Williams in the offseason. Williams is a starting-caliber running back. In addition to Williams, Pace drafted Khalil Herbert to add depth.

Those two pickups have been big for the Bears. Behind their running, Chicago had 188 yards and a touchdown on the ground. For the season, the Bears rushing attack has six touchdowns this season, good for sixth. Their 634 rushing yards rank ninth.

The running game is really helping the offense. With an effective running game, the offense can extend drives and run the clock, helping the defense stay fresh. Running the clock also helps seal a win, as it did against the Raiders.

The Bears’ running game stepped up in Montgomery’s absence. Now it just has to keep doing it for about another month.