The Chicago Bears scored a big victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 13. Chicago won its fifth straight game Friday, improving to 9-3 and maintaining its lead over the Green Bay Packers in the NFC North. The Bears are now the top seed in the conference.
Chicago’s running game played a massive role in Week 13’s dominant showing. Ben Johnson’s two-headed backfield featuring D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai controlled the game. Each RB racked up over 100 yards as Chicago rushed for 281 yards against Philadelphia.
However, the team could be shorthanded for its showdown with the Packers on Sunday. Monangai is dealing with an ankle injury and didn’t participate in practice on Wednesday, per The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov.
Bears' offense hit with injury ahead of Week 14 divisional clash
Monangai has provided a big boost to the Bears’ run game during the team’s winning streak. And Chicago needs all the offensive firepower at its disposal for a challenging matchup against the Packers’ fourth-ranked defense.
The rookie rusher earned a DNP on the Bears’ estimated injury report, as the team didn’t practice on Wednesday. Fans will be keeping an eye on the first-year RB’s status as the week progresses.
Monangai led Chicago with 130 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries against the Eagles. He was targeted once in the passing game but failed to record a catch.
Swift was also extremely effective in the Bears’ 24-15 Week 13 win, racking up 125 yards and a score on 18 totes. If Monangai is forced to miss Sunday’s matchup, the sixth-year veteran would have to carry the load for Chicago.
Monangai exploded onto the scene when filling in for an injured Swift in Week 9. He cranked out 176 rushing yards on 26 carries while adding three receptions for 22 yards. Since then he’s scored in four straight games, carving out a role for himself in Chicago’s backfield.
Johnson decided to split carries between Monangai and Swift and the plan has worked out well. The Bears announced themselves as legit contenders after beating Philadelphia. The team has now won nine games in a season for the first time since 2018, impressively accomplishing the feat by Week 13.
