Kyle Monangai might not have started Sunday’s game at running back for the Bears, but he absolutely finished it, powering his team to a 23-12 home win over the Jets. This dude just took over, plain and simple, and it was a clinic in old-school smashmouth football.
Monangai’s Unstoppable Run Game Takes Over
Seriously, Monangai’s day was straight fire. He rang up 30 carries for 146 yards and two touchdowns, literally pacing the Bears’ entire offense. He had a solid 12 carries for 54 yards in the first half, but when D’Andre Swift lost a fumble in the third quarter, the Bears just said, “Alright, it’s Monangai time,” and kept feeding him the rock. Why wouldn’t they? The Jets couldn’t stop him, period. His big day was a huge part of the Bears running for an insane 232 yards overall. Talk about leaning on the ground game!
Bears Offense Dominates From Start to Finish
That Monangai performance was just the tip of the iceberg for a seriously dominant offensive effort by the Bears. They had the ball for more than 42 minutes! Think about that, over two-thirds of the game they owned the clock. They piled up a ridiculous 492 total yards over the afternoon. Quarterback Tyson Bagent was super efficient, going 24-of-33 for 261 yards. Yeah, he threw an interception, and they got stopped on a fourth down at the Jets’ 1-yard line, which stings, but here’s the kicker: the Bears never punted the entire game. That’s how you control a football game.
Jets Offense Stalls, Defense Can’t Capitalize
On the flip side, what the heck was going on with the Jets? Their offense managed a measly 157 yards total. One bright spot, if you can even call it that, was Geno Smith’s touchdown pass to Isaiah Williams, but 58 of their total yards came on that one play. That’s just rough. Defensively, Minkah Fitzpatrick did snag an interception, which was their first since Week 18 of the 2024 season, so that tells you something. They even got their hands on three other Bagent passes, but every single one of those potential turnovers got wiped out by penalties. Can’t catch a break, can’t stop the run, can’t get out of their own way.
This game was a masterclass in establishing the run and controlling the clock for the Bears. Monangai stepped up big, Bagent was solid, and they just wore the Jets down. For the Jets, this is a tough one to swallow. An offense that couldn’t produce and a defense that struggled to contain a hot runner? They’ll be looking to fix a lot of things before their next outing, that’s for sure.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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