One play perfectly captured Ben Johnson’s vision for the Bears in Week 7

There were a lot of impressive moments during the Chicago Bears’ Week 7 win over the New Orleans Saints.

The 26-14 win marked the fourth-straight victory for the Bears, and it was one of the best all-around team efforts of the season, even if Caleb Williams wasn’t a major factor.

Instead, the Bears’ running game and defense paved the way, and there was one play that coach Ben Johnson liked more than most: rookie running back Kyle Monangai’s near-touchdown that was the result of a pile of Bears pushing the young runner toward the goal line.

“I love that,” Johnson said. “I want to see that on every single run play. The more population we can have with the football, the better off we’re going to be. I love to see our perimeter players getting involved, getting scrappy, blocking their safeties, blocking their corners. I love to see our linemen finish around our running back and protecting him and pushing him forward like that. We need more of that.”

Monangai registered his first career touchdown one play later.

Chicago Bears are playing like a team that believes

Johnson is right. The effort the Chicago Bears showed on that first-and-goal from the six-yard line had to put a knowing grin on his face. It’s moments like that that reflect a team’s culture, and if that one play is any indication, Ben Johnson’s culture is finally taking shape.

As for Monangai, he’s quickly proving to be one of the (if not the) most impressive rookies on the roster this season. His role is expanding, and he was just as effective as D’Andre Swift in Chicago’s win over the Saints.

As Caleb Williams continues his evolution as an NFL quarterback, the Chicago Bears will continue to lean on their running game. And if the running game continues to produce the way it did in Week 7 — 222 yards, 2 TDs, 5.6 YPC — the Bears will be very much alive for the 2025 playoffs.

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