A former Bears concern is now a strength that could matter most vs. Rams

Once questioned, a key Bears position group has become a strength, and it could play a decisive role against the Rams in the Divisional Round.

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For months, one of the loudest critiques surrounding the Chicago Bears centered on what they didn't do. From the end of the 2025 NFL Draft until the first game of the season, the narrative around this team didn't change much. Fans thought the Bears didn't do enough to upgrade at running back, and there were concerns that D'Andre Swift wasn't a fit for Ben Johnson's offense.

But as Brad Biggs pointed out in his latest column for the Chicago Tribune, the fears of Bears fans never lined up with how GM Ryan Poles and coach Ben Johnson viewed the roster.

With seventh-round pick Kyle Monangai representing the only addition to the Bears' running back room during the offseason, skepticism grew. The assumption was that Johnson's system, one that relies on a strong running game, demanded a different level of talent.

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However, that offseason narrative was a massive miss. In fact, Bears Nation failed to focus on what Johnson had been telling us all along. As Biggs noted, Johnson was "effusive in his praise of Swift all offseason," and the on-field results backed it up. Swift finished the regular season with 1,087 rushing yards, while Monangai added 783, forming the most productive Bears' running back tandem in nearly 50 years.

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According to Biggs, Swift and Monangai became the "first pair of Bears running backs to top 700 yards since Walter Payton and Roland Harper in 1978," a benchmark that makes that whole offseason debate feel embarrassing now. Poles and Johnson felt good about who they had in their running back room, and they've earned the trust of Bears fans with how 2025 ended up playing out.

Biggs noted that Swift's "effectiveness in the passing game should not be overlooked either," underlining why Poles and the Bears never viewed the backfield as incomplete. Swift's versatility actually did fit what Johnson wants from a running back. So, yeah, Chicago did have everything they needed in the backfield.

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It's a reality that takes on even greater importance heading into the Divisional Round matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Playoff football often relies on a strong running game to sustain drives and open up big plays. The Bears have that strength with Swift and Monangai.

The Chicago Bears are one win away from the NFC Championship, and they've ridden their run game to get here. What was once framed as a major weakness has become the strength of one of the best Bears teams in franchise history.

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