The Chicago Bears upset the Minnesota Vikings in a game that was only close because the team could not get out of their own way. From start to finish, they looked like the better team that was more deserving of winning the game. They got some key players to step up, which guided them to victory. Who were the players who stepped up the most?
5. The Chicago Bears saw the value of Roschon Johnson
Monday night was the most we had ever seen from Roschon Johnson. Johnson had been ascending, but a concussion in week five caused him to play two games. This was when D’onta Foreman took over the backfield and did not let it go.
However, with Foreman injured in Week 12, there was a chance to get Roschon Johnson back into the mix. Khalil Herbert had a chance to get back into the swing of things, but the Bears discovered that they needed a power back who could get downhill with a straight-ahead running style. That is what Foreman brought, and Johnson brought.
Herbert is more about big plays, but the risk is that he gets outside often, and it can lead to losses. The Bears need a runner who can stay on schedule, and they are getting that with the grinder backs.
Johnson never played more than 50% of the snaps in an NFL game until Monday, but he played 75%. He had a season-high in rushing attempts and routes run. The results were 15 overall touches for 75 yards, with four catches for 40 yards being key in the victory.
It will be interesting to see if Johnson can continue to control the backfield after the bye week, or if Foreman gets healthy and they go back to him.