Bear Down, Nerd Up: The Chicago Bears have a timeshare at running back

During Monday’s 33-14 win over the New England Patriots, the Bears scored on five consecutive offensive possessions (two touchdowns and three field goals). It tied their longest streak of scoring drives in four years, according to ESPN Stats & Info.

Everything was going right for the Bears. Matt Eberflus’ team looked better prepared than Bill Belichick’s.

The Bears totaled more than 230 rushing yards for the third time this season. They beat the Patriots for the first time since Dec. 10, 2000. Back then, coach Dick Jauron’s Bears beat rookie head coach Belichick and the Patriots, 24-17, at Soldier Field. Bears QB Shane Matthews threw for two touchdowns and running back James Allen carried the ball 37 times for 97 yards and a touchdown.

So what stood out this time around? Justin Fields’ running abilities, of course. But so, too, did a subtle shift in the running back usage.

[ Bears QB Justin Fields could take over Bobby Douglass’ spot in record book ]

Timeshare at running back?: Khalil Herbert ranks tied for first among NFL running backs in NFL Next Gen Stats’ “efficiency” rating.

Per Next Gen Stats, “rushing efficiency is calculated by taking the total distance a player traveled on rushing plays as a ball carrier according to Next Gen Stats (measured in yards) per rushing yards gained.” A lower number means a back is a more north-south rusher.

Herbert’s 3.04 efficiency rating is tied with Las Vegas running back Josh Jacobs as the lowest number in the NFL. David Montgomery’s 4.05 rating is significantly higher. Montgomery ranks in the middle of the pack among NFL running backs.

Additionally, Herbert is currently fifth among running backs in rush yards over expected. His 159 yards over expected is behind only Cleveland’s Nick Chubb (who has a league-leading 251), the Giants’ Saquon Barkley, Seattle’s Kenneth Walker and Jacksonville’s Travis Etienne. When adjusted for average per rushing attempt, Herbert ranks third behind Walker and Etienne.

The numbers back up what the tape shows: Herbert has been incredibly efficient. He’s finding big holes and attacking them quickly.

When this new Bears coaching staff took over in the spring, running backs coach David Walker spent a lot of time with his unit working on drills that help identify which holes are open and hitting those hole fast. The Bears’ run game is all about moving linemen laterally. A back has to identify holes quickly.

Last week, I asked Walker what makes Herbert so efficient in this area.

“[He’ll] miss something every once in a while, but overall he’s been pretty good in terms of his decision-making, in terms of his decisiveness when he sees it and going to attack it,” Walker said. “[He’s] really not trying to, let’s call it, waste motion trying to feel it out. If you’re going to make a mistake, make it full speed and we’ll go play the next down.”

Herbert’s 464 rushing yards ranks ninth in the NFL through Week 7. His 6.2 yards per carry rank first among running backs.

Matt Eberflus said last week that the Bears would play the “hot hand” at running back. For the first time all season, the Bears had a relatively even distribution of touches between Herbert and Montgomery. Herbert played 29 snaps (41% of offensive snaps), while Montgomery still led the way with 40 snaps (56%). Montgomery led the team with 15 carries, but Herbert wasn’t far behind with 12 carries and one reception.

“We really like the one-two punch and we’re going to continue to do that,” Eberflus said Wednesday at Halas Hall. “They both bring an added element to the game for us, so we’re going to keep using both guys. We feel like that’s a real strength for us in our running game and in the passing game, so we’re excited about having both of those guys for us.”

Montgomery’s name has come up in trade speculation as the Nov. 1 trade deadline approaches. His rookie contract is up after this season. If the Bears don’t intend to re-sign him next offseason, it could make sense to trade him now for a future draft pick.

General manager Ryan Poles said this week that Montgomery is “one of my favorite players on the team.” Not that Poles couldn’t move one of his favorite players. It’s his job to improve the team, not pick favorites. Still, the value for a back who currently ranks 32nd in the NFL in rushing yards is probably no better than a late-round pick.

Plus, the Bears have exactly what any team wants in a pair of running backs: two backs with differing styles. It makes sense that the number indicate Montgomery spends more time moving side-to-side. Just watch how he runs. He’s always trying to shed tackles.

A shared backfield doesn’t have to be one big back and one small, or one bulldozer and one pass catcher. It could also mean two differing running styles.

Smith’s sack: Linebacker Roquan Smith had his second sack in as many games when he blitzed New England quarterback Bailey Zappe. Smith went unblocked and reached Zappe in 3.08 seconds, per Next Gen Stats.

Smith’s 2.5 sacks this season currently leads the Bears, which probably says more about the Bears’ edge rushers than it does about Smith. The Bears have had limited success creating pressure with only four pass rushers in Eberflus’ 4-3 defense.

The fact that Smith’s 2.5 sacks and safety Jaquan Brisker’s two sacks lead the Bears should also tell you that defensive coordinator Alan Williams is disguising his blitzes well. Smith is on pace to match or pass his career-high five sacks from his 2018 rookie season.

Smith also had an interception in the game. He became the first Bears player with a sack, an interception and 12 or more tackles in a game since at least 1994.