A Week 2 loss to the Detroit Lions has been buried as a bad memory, as the Chicago Bears have won six of their last seven games. However, head coach Ben Johnson was so unhappy that he promised to alter the playing time pecking order if things didn't change.
More specifically, Johnson hinted at getting rookies Colston Loveland and Luther Burden more involved.
In Week 3 against the Dallas Cowboys, an injury derailed Loveland from taking a bigger role in the Bears' offense. Burden was more involved, though, topping 100 yards on three catches, highlighted by a touchdown on a flea-flicker.
That being said, Burden still only played 17 offensive snaps against the Cowboys (28.8 percent). In the subsequent three games, he did not get to 20 offensive snaps.
A concussion in Week 8 sidelined Burden for Week 9, so any idea his playing time would get a noticeable boost was postponed a little further.
In Week 10 against the New York Giants, as DJ Moore added a shoulder injury to previous ailments that have impacted his practice participation lately, Burden played a season-high 33 offensive snaps (a 48.5 percent snap share) as he finished with three catches for 51 yards.
Meanwhile Olamide Zaccheaus had multiple drops against the Giants, and finished with one catch for five yards, as he continued to see far more playing time than he has actually earned with his performance.
Ben Johnson sounds ready to give Luther Burden the role he deserves
Burden has a team-high 136.6 passer rating when targeted this season, with 16 catches on 18 targets and three games where he has topped 50 receiving yards. While playing one more game and over 200 more offensive snaps than Burden, with 50 targets to Burden's aforementioned 18, Zaccheus has topped 50 yards in a game once so far this season (the game Burden missed, coincidentally or not).
Before the concussion that sidelined him, Bears fans and analysts wondered what Burden had to do to earn a bigger role in the offense. When he spoke to the media on Monday, with nothing to derail things now, Johnson sounds ready to make it happen.
"You've slowly seen his rep count go up," Johnson said. "He's a guy who is starting to get more targets. It's a trust level between the coaches and the player. It's a trust level between the quarterback and a receiver. It continues to ascend. He has been every productive when he's about to get the ball in his hands and there's a strong argument that we should get it to him more."
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The playing time shift toward Burden from Zaccheaus started against the Giants, but it's time to take it all the way. If the man who's primarily in control of that wants it, and it appears he does, it'll happen. With that in mind, Week 11 against the Minnesota Vikings might be looked back on as the full-on launching point for Burden as his rookie season winds down.