Let’s cut the crap. Being a Bears fan usually feels like being in a toxic relationship with a partner who promises they’ve changed, only to leave dirty dishes in the sink and draft a punter in the fourth round. We’re used to offenses that look like they’re running in mud. We’re used to "offensive gurus" who couldn’t scheme their way out of a paper bag if you gave them a map and a flashlight.
But this? What we’re watching right now in Chicago? This isn’t just "improvement." This is a complete, burn-it-to-the-ground-and-build-a-fortress revolution.
Ben Johnson walked into Halas Hall, looked at the dumpster fire that was the Bears' rushing attack, and decided he wasn’t just going to fix it — he was going to turn it into a weapon of mass destruction. And 15 weeks into the 2025 season, the Chicago Bears possess the NFL’s second-ranked rushing offense.
Read that again. The Chicago Bears. An elite offense.
If you’re still clinging to the trauma of the "3-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust" era, wake the hell up. This team is 10-4, sitting atop the NFC North, and they are doing it by physically assaulting defenses for 60 minutes straight. This is the story of how Ben Johnson turned a bottom-tier joke into the league’s most terrifying ground game.
The "Before" Picture: A Hot Mess
To appreciate the penthouse, you have to remember the outhouse. And folks, the first month of this season was a porta-potty at a chili festival.
Through the first four games of 2025, the Bears’ run game was broken. I’m talking 24th in the league, averaging a pathetic 102.0 yards per game. The efficiency was laughable (-0.06 EPA per rush), and every handoff felt like a surrender. It looked like the same old story: predictable play-calling, linemen looking confused, and running backs getting swallowed up before they could even find the line of scrimmage.
Then came the Week 5 bye.
I don’t know what happened in those meeting rooms. Maybe Johnson sacrificed a goat. Maybe he locked the doors and threatened to play game tape of the 2004 offense on a loop until morale improved. But whatever he did, it worked. Johnson stripped the run game down to the studs, focusing on technique, scheme execution, and making sure every single guy — from the left tackle to the slot receiver — knew their assignment.
The Transformation: From Worst to First
When the Bears came back in Week 6, they didn’t just improve. They exploded.
The stats since the bye week are frankly disgusting. We are talking about an 0.11 EPA swing — one of the most dramatic mid-season turnarounds you will ever see in professional football.
Visual: The Pre-Bye vs. Post-Bye Explosion
| Metric | Weeks 1-4 (Pre-Bye) | Weeks 6-15 (Post-Bye) | The Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rushing Yards Per Game | 102.0 | 153.8 | +51.8 |
| EPA Per Rush | -0.06 | +0.05 | +0.11 (Massive) |
| Yards Per Carry | 3.8 | 5.2 | +1.4 |
This isn't a hot streak. This is dominance. The Bears now rank 2nd in the NFL in rushing yards per game (152.6) and sit in the top five in success rate (42.6%). They are walking into stadiums and telling defenses exactly what they are going to do, and nobody can stop it.
"I can't emphasize enough the importance of our running game," Johnson said after the Bears dropped a historic 281 rushing yards on the Eagles' heads. "Without our ability to run the ball effectively, we wouldn't have won."
No shit, Ben. But thanks for building the engine.
The Two-Headed Monster: Swift and Monangai
You can have the best scheme in the world, but if your backs suck, it doesn't matter. Fortunately, the Bears have stumbled into the most productive "Thunder and Lightning" duo in the league.
D'Andre Swift: The Speed Merchant
Remember when people groaned about signing D'Andre Swift? "He's injury-prone." "He dances too much." "He's not a bell cow." I’ll raise my hand — I was shouting that same garbage by Week 3.
But it’s time to shut up. Just shut up. (And yes, I’m talking to myself, too.)
Swift has been electric. He’s rushed for 935 yards on 191 carries (4.9 YPC) with 7 touchdowns. But where he really kills teams is on the outside zone. This scheme was built for him. Johnson gets him to the edge, and Swift’s vision and burst take over.
Visual: Swift's Splits (Where He Wins)
| Run Concept | Yards Per Carry | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Outside Zone | 5.6 | Elite production; constant home-run threat |
| Inside/Gap | 3.5 | Not his bread and butter |
He has 21 explosive runs of 10+ yards. That’s 21 times a defense thought they had him bottled up, only for him to make a cut and leave a linebacker grasping at air. His 125-yard performance against Philadelphia was a masterclass in patience and explosion.
Kyle Monangai: The Seventh-Round Steal of the Century
And then there’s the rookie. Kyle Monangai.
Ryan Poles found this kid in the 7th round (Pick 233!), a spot where teams usually draft practice squad bodies or long snappers. Instead, the Bears got a bowling ball of hate who refuses to go down.
Monangai is the perfect foil to Swift. While Swift is slashing to the outside, Monangai is running 4.9 yards per carry between the tackles. He creates violence. He seeks contact. He is the only rookie running back in 2025 with multiple 100-yard games.
Visual: The Complementary Backfield
| Player | Role | Efficiency (YPC) | Best Trait |
|---|---|---|---|
| D'Andre Swift | The Slasher (Outside) | 4.9 | Speed & Vision on the edge |
| Kyle Monangai | The Hammer (Inside) | 4.9 | Power & Yards After Contact |
When Swift went down in Week 9 against Cincy, everyone thought the run game would stall. Instead, Monangai carried the rock 26 times for 176 yards. One hundred and seventy-six. As a rookie.
They are only the second duo in NFL history to both surpass 600 yards and combine for 5+ touchdowns in the same season. The other? The Lions last year. Coached by — you guessed it — Ben Johnson. Notice a pattern?
The Trench Warfare: Bullies in the Middle
You cannot run the ball if your offensive line plays like a turnstile. Ryan Poles knew this, and he spent the offseason buying heavy machinery.
This isn’t the Bears O-line of old that would get blown up by a stiff breeze. This unit is nasty.
- Joe Thuney (LG): 74.0 PFF Grade. A stabilizing vet who doesn't make mistakes.
- Drew Dalman (C): The unsung hero. Grading at 82.1 overall, he’s the 3rd best center in the league. He’s the brain of the operation.
- Jonah Jackson (RG): Reunited with Johnson, he’s mauling people.
- Darnell Wright (RT): Developed into a top-15 tackle.
- Ozzy Trapilo (LT): The rookie stepped in and posted a 91.1 pass-blocking grade in Week 14. Are you kidding me?
Visual: The Wall of Chicago
- PFF Rank: The Bears are one of only two teams (shoutout to the Rams) with two guards ranked in the top 10.
- Yards Before Contact: 1.41 (2nd in NFL). That means the line is moving the defense nearly a yard and a half before a running back is even touched. That is domination.
"Ben has a really good understanding of how he sees the run game every week," O-line coach Dan Roushar said. That’s coach-speak for "We know exactly how to kick your ass."
The Nerd Stuff: Why the Scheme is Unstoppable
Okay, let’s get a little technical. Why is this working? It’s not just "try hard." It’s geometry.
1. Outside Zone is King
Johnson’s scheme stretches the defense horizontally. The linemen step laterally, forcing linebackers to scrape across the field. If one defender over-pursues, Swift cuts back. If they stay home, he beats them to the corner. It puts defenders in conflict on every single snap.
2. The Secret Weapon: 12 Personnel
This is Johnson’s favorite toy. 12 Personnel means 1 Running Back, 2 Tight Ends, and 2 Wide Receivers. The Bears run this on 33% of snaps, way above the league average.
Why does it work? Because Cole Kmet and rookie Colston Loveland are freaks. Kmet is basically a third tackle who can catch, and Loveland is a mismatch nightmare.
- If the defense puts heavy linebackers on the field to stop the run, Johnson spreads them out and throws to the tight ends.
- If the defense puts small defensive backs on the field to cover the pass, Johnson runs right at them with Kmet clearing the way.
It’s a "pick your poison" scenario, and right now, every defense is drinking the cyanide.
3. Motion & Misdirection
Johnson uses jet motion and orbit motion constantly. This isn't just eye candy; it forces the defense to adjust their alignment right before the snap. It creates hesitation. And in the NFL, hesitation gets you killed.
Historic Beatdowns: The Receipts
If you think these are just empty stats, look at the game logs.
Week 13 vs. Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles have a "good" defensive front, right? The Bears ran for 281 yards. Swift had 125. Monangai had 130. It was the first time since 2014 that two Bears backs went over 125 yards in the same game. They physically broke the Eagles’ will. By the fourth quarter, Philadelphia’s linebackers looked like they wanted to go home and file their taxes rather than tackle Monangai again.
Week 9 vs. Cincinnati Bengals: No Swift? No problem. The Bears dropped 283 rushing yards. Monangai ran for 176. This proved it wasn't just about Swift’s talent. The system works. The line works.
The Bears are the only team in the NFL to reach 100+ yards before contact and 150+ yards after contact in multiple games. They are beating you at the line, and then beating you again in the open field.
Is This Sustainable? (Or: Can We Trust It?)
I know. You’re a Bears fan. You’re waiting for the other shoe to drop. You’re waiting for an injury, or a defensive adjustment, or the McCaskeys to somehow intervene and mandate we run the wishbone.
But this feels different.
This isn’t a gimmicky offense relying on a QB scrambling for his life. This is built on infrastructure.
- Continuity: The O-line is healthy and gelling.
- Versatility: They can beat you with speed (Swift) or power (Monangai).
- Coaching: Ben Johnson isn’t an idiot. He adjusts. (Okay, his clock management in the Packers game was a disaster, but the man knows how to design a run play).
The Bears are 5th in EPA per rush while maintaining a balanced offense. They aren't running because they have to; they're running because they want to. And that mindset shift is everything.
Final Verdict
Ben Johnson’s first-year transformation of the Chicago Bears' rushing attack represents modern NFL coaching at its finest. He didn't just bring a playbook; he brought an identity.
The numbers are staggering: a 50+ yard-per-game improvement post-bye, historic dual 100-yard performances, and a rookie 7th-rounder looking like a Pro Bowler. D'Andre Swift has revitalized his career. The offensive line has become a brick wall.
Most importantly, the Bears have stopped trying to be cute and started trying to be physical. When this offense walks onto the field now, opponents know they are in for a street fight.
As the Bears push toward the playoffs with a 10-4 record, this rushing attack is the engine driving the bus. And if they keep executing like this? They aren't just going to make the playoffs. They’re going to run right through them.
Bear Down.
