Windy City Gridiron
The NFL season is an evolving state of affairs, and week 16 finds your 10-4 Chicago Bears back atop the NFC North and as the #2 seed in the NFC after a dominating performance against the Browns coupled with a Packers loss. This week, a rematch against the Micah-less Packers on home turf to determine, most likely for the remainder of the season, who is the NFC North champ.
In this weekly series, I’ll be featuring one player from each team on each side of the ball who I believe to be integral to their respective team’s success. It’s not always about the quarterback or superstar defensive players like Micah Parsons Myles Garrett. Importance is all relative, and while the “star” players are obviously important each week, this series will also highlight some of the other guys.
Because let’s face it, often, the unsung players are just as critical to the team’s success.
Here are the players that I will be keyed in on in this one.
In his first-ever game against the Cheese, the rookie out of Rutgers only carried the ball 14 times for 57 yards, but had one of the toughest 3-yard runs of all time, and knocked the paint off Packers LB Edgerrin Cooper’s helmet in the process. Though D’Andre Swift was the more effective Chicago back two weeks ago (4.8ypc vs. 4.1) when these two teams faced off, he is Questionable for this one, so the rookie should easily get 20+ carries this time around.
Considering the Bears’ offense finally seemed to get going when they leaned on the run game in their first meeting, I expect the Bears to start with and stick with the run this week. Look for Monangai to pound the rock behind his elite offensive line in a game I expect Chicago to dominate the trenches from start to finish in a bully-ball type of victory this rivalry has long called for. If Chicago fails to get push in the run game or Ben Johnson gets too cute calling plays, this will likely also go down to the wire, as these games have in recent memory.
Two weeks ago, when the Bears traveled to Green Bay, it was Edwards’ first game back from injury in over a month. He only played 62.3% of the defensive snaps and looked less than fully healthy while notching only 4 total tackles. A week later, against the Browns, Edwards played 100% of the defensive snaps and looked like his normal self, flying to the ball and laying hits on running backs and tight ends en route to 9 total tackles, including 1 TFL and 2 QBH.
A Chicago native and life-long Bears fan, Edwards understands this rivalry like few ever have. Having also played in a Super Bowl (Edwards’ Eagles lost to the Chiefs in 2022), he also knows what it takes to come out on...
