First things first, did you catch your breath yet? Wow what a ballgame.
When football seems to rip your heart out and you're thinking of what the next excuse you'll hear from the staff as to why the Bears relinquished a two-touchdown lead with less than five minutes left, it was all for naught. Ok, back on schedule.
While Chicago has had success running the ball over the last month with D'Andre Swift, another fleet-of-foot ball-carrier is never a bad luxury to have.
In Week 9, without Swift in the lineup, Chicago might’ve found it in rookie running back Kyle Monangai.
Monangai exploded for a massive game vs. Bengals
A seventh-round pick out of Rutgers, Monangai took advantage of an opportunity on Sunday afternoon, delivering a statement performance of 26 carries for 176 yards and three receptions for 22 more -- as Chicago, someway, somehow, pushed to 5-3 on the road.
But it wasn’t just the numbers that stood out for the young ball-carrier, however, it was how he got them.
A tough in-between-the-tackles runner during his time in the Big Ten, and in spot carries this fall, Monangai ran with intent and edge, lowering his pads and finishing runs through contact. His vision was sensational in pressing the line of scrimmage, showing patience to let blocks develop before accelerating into daylight. Whether he was bouncing outside the tackles or churning through traffic between the guards, Monangai consistently moved the chains and set the tone for a Bears offense that found a balance.
With Ben Johnson pressing the buttons, that equilibrium and identity have become key pillars for a young offense.
While Johnson’s system thrives on versatility, establishing rhythm through the ground game to open up play-action and rhythm throws for his quarterback, Monangai's style feels like a perfect fit.
He’s a physical, north-south runner who brings the kind of controlled violence that wears down defenses as the clock churns.
Of course, Swift remains the established RB1, and his explosiveness and pass-catching ability are vital to the Bears’ offensive flow. But Monangai offers something Swift doesn’t -- a relentless, punishing element that brings a different texture to the run game.
The Bears have lacked that type of hammer since the Jordan Howard days, and Monangai’s emergence could give them the one-two punch that keeps defenses guessing.
For a team that’s built around youth and playing with fire and aggressiveness, Monangai embodies the ethos the Bears want to play with.
Read more: It took one half for Kyle Monangai to make Ryan Poles look like a genius
His performance in Cincinnati wasn’t a fluke -- it was a preview of what happens when opportunity meets a young ballplayer hungry for touches. And as the season moves deeper into November and games become grittier, it’s clear Chicago would benefit from keeping No. 25 heavily involved.