The Chicago Bears’ running attack didn’t have the get-right game that was expected in Week 6 against the Carolina Panthers, but there were signs of hope that a breakthrough could be coming soon.
David Montgomery ran well, even if his final stat line suggests otherwise. He finished the game with 19 carries for 58 yards (3.1 yards per carry), which is sub-par by any standard.
But what the stats don’t show is the will and determination Montgomery ran with. He ran with good patience and tackle-breaking power. He also proved he can be a weapon in the passing game, finishing with four catches for 39 yards.
Montgomery earned the third-highest grade for the Bears on offense from Pro Football Focus (69.7), scoring good marks in the passing game as a receiver and pass protector.
Montgomery has a 71.5 grade from PFF for the season, which ranks 22nd among all running backs.
The Bears’ rushing woes are more a product of poor offensive line play than Montgomery, but at some point, Montgomery has to prove he can make explosive plays regardless of who’s in front of him.
He’s been showing that ability in space as a receiver and it feels like just a matter of time before he has his breakout game on the ground.
As for the top scorers on offense for the Bears? The top-grade belongs to Cole Kmet (90.0) who was productive on the 23 snaps he played. He had two catches for 20 yards and a pretty nine-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
Cody Whitehair’s 70.4 was good for the second-best mark on offense, even though his 26.8 pass-blocking grade was downright atrocious.