Key Loss for Bears' No. 1 Running Game

Khalil Herbert will miss at least four weeks on injured reserve with a hip injury.

USA Today

It would be a stretch to say the Bears running game has ground to a halt.

For several weeks at least, some of the breakaway factor appears to be gone.

Running back Khalil Herbert has been placed on injured reserve with what ESPN's Field Yates reported was a hip injury.

Herbert was injured late in the game with the Lions returning a kick, and at the time it hadn't appeared serious. He got up and walked off the field but didn't play again. However, they were in two-minute drill and he's not out on the field for that as often since David Montgomery is a better pass blocker. Then, on Monday coach Matt Eberflus said he had no update on Herbert.

Herbert would miss four games minimum with the injury.

He is the second-leading rusher in the Bears' league-leading running attack, behind Justin Fields. Herbert has 643 yards on 108 attempts for a 6-yard average. That's third-best in the league for running backs. 

There's no denying Herbert's presence as a breakaway threat helped balance out the running attack for Fields to make big runs on planned rushing plays, although not necessarily on scrambles.

Fields has 749 yards on 104 attempts and his ability to get free for bigger gains seemed to coincide with the rise of Herbert as an alternate back who could get outside on runs. 

Fields had 21 runs for 76 yards and a 3.6-yard average in the two-plus games before Montgomery came out of the lineup  in Week 3 with an ankle injury and Herbert became more involved.

Fields has averaged averaged 94.9 yards a game and 8.0 yards per attempt after the injury in that Week 3 game to Montgomery. 

The Bears would move rookie Trestan Ebner up in the pecking order as a relief back for Montgomery. Montgomery and Herbert were sharing carries at close to equal numbers.

Removing Herbert definitely takes speed from the attack. Montgomery has averaged 3.35 yards per carry after the ankle injury he suffered against Houston. In the first three games prior to the injury, he averaged 4.63 yards a carry.

Ebner, drafted in the sixth round out of Baylor, has had 18 rushing attempts for 46 yards, a 2.6-yard average.

The Bears this week have a unique matchup for their running game. They are facing the Atlanta Falcons, the No. 2 team in rushing.

The Bears also announced they waived defensive lineman Kingsley Jonathan.

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