Where Surprising PFF Grades Put Fault for Bears Running Game Flop

The problems Bears running backs have had gaining yards come back largely to the run blocking, although Pro Football Focus also sees some issues with at least one running back.

D'Andre Swift is cornered on a running play in Sunday's 21-16 Bears loss to the Colts. / Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Caleb Williams and the Bears passing game started to pick up steam over the last two games, although the running game remains largely a mystery.

Pro Football Focus grades for individual players clarify where some blame lies with blocking in the running game, especially in their last game. These are only grades from one independent source but a based on video review.

One of the most disappointing grades in last week's game belongs to one of their most traditionally high graders at run-blocking and that's guard Teven Jenkins. He was given a 40.8 grade, which is basically a failing mark. Jenkins did have a spectacular day pass blocking with an 87.9  mark but his work in the run game just wasn't there.

Center Coleman Shelton also came out with a low run-blocking grade of 52.7.

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None of the other offensive line run-blocking grades came in extremely low.

Things wrong with the Chicago Bears offense

1. Poor play calling
2. Poor offensive line
3. Poor personnel decisions
4. Poor running game
5. Kennan Allen being hurt

Not the rookie QB making his 4th NFL start thus upcoming Sunday.

— illwill (@79illwill) September 24, 2024

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Braxton Jones (65.4), Matt Pryor (61.6) and Darnell Wright (64.3) all earned higher run-blocking grades.

THE BEARS NEEED TO Fire their Offensive Coordinator Shane Waldron after two weeks I have seen enough Rome Odunze should be seeing a minimum of 8 targets per game their running schemes are horrible. Caleb is left out in the dry bc Shane expects him to be a superhero and make the… pic.twitter.com/3jr8jXEuwH

— Football Fanatics (@FFB_Fanatics) September 18, 2024

Running game grades, of course, include marks for actual runners. D'Andre Swift averaged only 1.54 yards per carry in the game with 20 yards on 13 carries. His running game grade was 51.5. Even Khalil Herbert, who got stopped on three straight runs from inside the 4-yard-line or closer, still had a 60.9 grade for his running.

Not surprisingly, Roschon Johnson owned the highest marks in the running game among backs at 74.7.

At 1-2 my biggest concerns:
1) Shane Waldren
2) Matt Eberflus
3) Offensive Line
4) Running Game#Bears

— Ziggy Blackwell (@ZiggyBlackwell) September 22, 2024

The only real disaster at run blocking was wide receiver DeAndre Carter, who came in with a 31.3 grade for 17 running plays as blocker. It's a situation where getting wide receiver Keenan Allen back might make a difference as he had a reputation as blocker besides catching passes. That was during 2013-21, although he's tailed off lately.

Only three teams had worse PFF run-blocking grades worse than the Bears on the season, and it shows in their lack of production so far in the running attack.

The #Bears finish with 55 non-QB rushing yards on 27 carries after facing a team that entered the week with a historically bad rushing defense and was missing it’s best DL. Their big-ticket FA signing averaged 1.5 YPC yet again.

The alarm bells are going off. They’re LOUD.

— Robert Schmitz (@robertkschmitz) September 22, 2024

Twitter: BearsOnSI