Chicago Bears vs San Francisco 49ers: Week 13 Keys to the Game
1) Feed Howard at least 20 carries
Jordan Howard came into the NFL as a 5th round pick, but he has quickly developed into a workhorse. Matt Barkley lead a potent offense in the second half last week, but he still needs all the help he can get. Jordan Howard has the 5th highest yards per carry average at 5.1 YPC, and there are no signs of him slowing down. However, the Bears have continually underutilized him in the rushing attack.
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Despite being Chicago’s starter for 8 weeks, Howard has only tallied 20+ carries on two occasions. Coincidentally, both occasions resulted in wins for Chicago. The Bears historically operate best behind a workhorse like Howard. Additionally, Chicago’s offensive line is much stronger run blocking rather than pass blocking.
Above all, the Bears stay on schedule when Howard is fed the rock. A young quarterback like Barkley would benefit greatly from convertible third downs. Also, a viable rushing attack will allow Barkley to utilize play action. I could expect Howard to average so many yards per carry, but Howard gets the job done when he’s given the ball. John Fox needs to feed Howard at least 20 times this weekend if he wants to win.