Bear Digest

Bears' playoff survival depends on locating missing piece of offense

Coach Ben Johnson has always stressed a balanced attack but they're falling behind early in games because they can't find one missing aspect.
Gene Chamberlain|
D'Andre Swift attempts to elude Kingsley Enagbare of Green Bay during the second half of last week's Bears playoff win.
D'Andre Swift attempts to elude Kingsley Enagbare of Green Bay during the second half of last week's Bears playoff win. | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Bears coach Ben Johnson realizes the time when his team can simply pick it up after a slow start is finished because the Los Angeles Rams won't allow it.

Comebacks have limits and doing it against elite all-around, experienced teams requires something important, like mainly a running threat.

"I think we're more focused on ourselves in terms of we don't want to put ourselves in a hole against a team like this, like we've done a number of times this year," Johnson said. "I think we need to talk about playing a complete game on offense. Like, this is the week that needs to happen for us to be able to beat this team."

To do it, they need a running attack like they once had. The Bears were second in rushing and slipped down to third at season's end. In their playoff win, they struggled to 93 rushing yards but did keep trying with 28 carries. In their last three games, they ran for 110, 65 and 93 yards, which is well off their season average of 144.47 yard a game.

It's usually the blocking in the running game, and getting some push.

"I think there were some schematic stuff on our end that we didn't execute properly," center Drew Dalman said. "Me in particular, I definitely had a few things I needed to clean up. And so, I think that played into a little bit of it.

"And then also just thematically, the run game tends to wear on teams. So early on when they're a little fresher, things you don't get quite as much movement on things like that. And then, over the course of the game, you kind of wear them down. I think the biggest takeaway from watching (film) was we had things we needed to clean up.”

The Bears have been successful running it in the past, so the foundation is laid. However, at this point it's a question of whether they can just pick it up again.

“Yeah, I think statistics or results aside, I think we're really happy with our process and that's been something that we know that when we have a good week, we understand the concepts when we're finishing, when we're playing together, that gives us all the confidence," Dalman said. "I don't necessarily think of it as, ‘we've run it well in the past, so therefore we can do it in the future.’ I think we have a good process laid down.”

The problem here is the Rams' defensive front is real trouble.

"I think the front is their strength," Johnson said. "These guys at the line of scrimmage are really good football players. They shed blocks at an elite level. I think they are relentless. I think they're violent, really, across the board. So we're going to have to be on our A-game to be able to run it on this crew."

Nose tackle Poona Ford, Braden Fiske and Kobi Turner comprise their base three-man line.

"Not only talented but the fact they do it day-in and day-out and don't take any plays off, that makes it very difficult because you've got to bring it every single snap," Johnson said. "You can't have any lapses up front or else they'll make you pay, whether its Turner or Fiske at the three-technique. Puna Ford is playing high-level football.  He's a problem for you."

They held the Panthers to 83 yards rushing in the playoff game. On Dec. 14, they limited the Lions' running game to 70 yards.

Then again, they've caved in at times and gave up 219 yards rushing in a loss to Atlanta and 171 in their loss to Seattle. And although Carolina ran for only 83 Sunday, the Panthers had 164 against the Rams in beating them in the regular season.

Running back D’Andre Swift thinks it can be different going against an opponent they haven’t seen. Familiarity led to Green Bay having a better plan for shutting down the running attack.

“Last week, playing a team three times is tough in itself, but they did a lot of things  defensively that kind of put us in a bind, I would say,” Swift said. “In games like that, you’ve got to run the ball and be efficient in the run game.

“If you’re not efficient coming out of it, you’re always looking at different ways to—it was good that we got the win so we can correct those things this week and get back on track.”

Continuing on to the NFC Championship Game may depend on it.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.