Running Game Refreshes Offense, Mitchell Trubisky

Forget about Deshaun Watson coming to Chicago and the uproar this causes relating to fateful decisions Bears general manager Ryan Pace made in 2017.

Mitchell Trubisky says the hype doesn't matter at this point for a couple reasons, and it's difficult to fault his logic.

"I think it will prove pretty easy to block it out," Trubisky said Wednesday of the hype. "I'm excited about the game, playing against Deshaun and the Texans, so it's going to be a good challenge especially for the spot that we're in this week. We know what we have to do.

"Every game is a must win from here on out, so it's just that attitude that we're taking in practice. I know there's going to be storylines and all that but my job is just to focus on doing my job to help this team win, and I'm excited about that."

The need to win trumps all else when the Bears have lost six straight, but the other reason Trubisky is excited now is the Bears offense finally has something to rally around. It's the running game.

"I think everything can grow out of this run game that we have especially when it gets going early," Trubisky said.

Facing the 31st-ranked Houston run defense, the Bears have to hope they can get David Montgomery and the run established again like they did in matching a season-high 30 points last week.

It set a rhythm for the offense as they ran for 140 yards, more than any game since the opener. This set up a more efficient passing game. They weren't efficient enough to outscore Detroit and overcome Trubisky's lost fumble on a sack but it was a far cary from earlier games.

They've even pulled out of last place in rushing in the league, now ranking 31st with a bullet.

"I think the rhythm was really just really good plays on first and second down," Trubisky said. "We had some explosive runs early on in the game and then some good play-actions and movements that just kept the defense off balance.

"And when those plays are hitting, you don't have to go to third down where they pretty much know it's going to be a known passing situation I think that just allows us to keep them off balance and just continue to go through plays that we like in our first 15 and plays that we scripted and plays that we worked on all week."

What Trubisky saw in the running game was basic, David Montgomery and Cordarrelle Patterson taking advantage of the blocking from a new line combination playing together for the second time.

"Just five guys up front playing their tails off," Trubisky said. "I mean, creating holes for the backs and David was running his tail off like he always does and CP was too. The way they came off the football with that attitude and effort, moving guys, playing confident, playing together and creating holes for those backs, I think you'll continue to see more really good runs out of our offense."

The 28 runs for 175 yards for Montgomery behind this revamped line over two games provided a dependable gain the Bears lacked since Week 3.

"It does make my job a lot easier when we're moving the ball on first and second down," Trubisky said. "You're in third-and-manageable or avoiding third down all together. That's where you can really create rhythm in the offense and you're able to open up the play pass and other types of things."

That would include RPO, play-action to Allen Robinson II and tight end Cole Kmet as more of an option.

One problem with all of this they did it last week against Detroit, but Houston's defense is even worse statistically even if they do have J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus as pass rushers.

The other problem is as effective as they were running in the first half, they looked more like their offense of Weeks 4-10 in the second half. They had only 34 yards rushing when they really needed it over the last two quarters.

Patterson offered up a solution for keeping the running attack from bogging down, and it has to do with Montgomery.

"Every time he's out there, just give him the ball, " Patterson said. "He's gonna make something happen.

"Sometimes, it doesn't go as planned. But he's gonna make the most of it and make people miss, stiff arm and he'll do whatever he can."

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