3. The Chicago Bears have been reducing the snaps of Yannick Ngakoue
Before the bye week the Chicago Bears had started to reduce the snaps of Yannick Ngakoue. Ngakoue is one of the few Bears who were not playing better with Montez Sweat in the lineup, so the team decided to take him off of the field for DeMarcus Walker, who has been rushing better.
Ngakoue played a season-low 52.7% of the snaps before the bye, and he came out of the bye to get just 52.3% of the snaps. Meanwhile, Walker has played 58.2% and 58.5% of the snaps in that timeframe.
In the two weeks before that, Ngakoue had played more than any edge rusher, and that includes Montez Sweat. After Sweat was not on the field in key situations of the loss to Detroit, Ryan Poles stepped in, and Ngakoue stepped out.
For Ngakoue, it may be a case of less is more. On his lowest snap count, he recorded his fourth of the year. It could be a fresher player on the field in those scenarios. Expect the Bears to continue to play him less, but do not be surprised if he produces more.