LAKE FOREST, Ill. The Bears entered their Week 5 bye week vowing to improve an inefficient run game.
That required improvement from the blocking to the backs, an all-11 effort emphasized by head coach Ben Johnson.
DAndre Swift took that work to heart. He took a deep dive into his runs and how he could be better and has emerged an efficient and explosive runner.
Swift came out of the bye and posted back-to-back 100-yard games. And, in the four games he has played since the bye, Swift is averaging 6.26 yards per carry. Yeah. You read that right.
The veteran running back had a simple reason for why thats the case.
[READ: Bears Colston Loveland, Darnell Wright analyze explosive play from Week 10 win]
The offensive line is doing a great job. Seriously, Swift said Thursday in an interview with Marquee Sports Network. I just continue to prepare the way I prepare and stay on the details of all my assignments. When the linemen are playing how theyre playing, it makes my job easy.
Line play has improved in the run game, with that unit finding great sync in recent weeks. NFL NextGen Stats back that up, with the Bears ranking No. 2 with 2.07 yards before contact per attempt. And the run game carried on strong in a game Swift missed with a groin injury, as rookie Kyle Monangai went off for 176 rushing yards on 26 carries.
Forming well-timed cracks helps a runner like Swift, who can make explosive plays with just a little bit of space. While Swift heaped praise on the offensive line, the big men passed it right back.
DAndre is a dynamic back who can make people miss, but he can also lower his shoulder, right guard Jonah Jackson said. He brings some juice for us and we try to do the same for him.
Hes a big reason why the run game has come to life. He and Kyle are great working with us in terms of timing, and sometimes they make things happen on their own when we dont make things look pretty.
Swift believes the run game has found our stride, but sees plenty of room for improvement in the coming weeks. He took early-season struggles seriously but will apply the same level of effort to these good times.
Absolutely nothing changes, Swift said. Im not going to get down when things arent going great and Im not going to get too high when things are going well. We havent arrived yet. Thats not my mentality. Theres always something to fix. Theres always room to grow.
The Bears defense has been beset by injuries this season yet has managed to be an effective unit that ranks high in takeaways and plays well on critical downs.
The injuries are really piling up, leaving the Bears without as many as five starters on Sunday against the Vikings. Injuries have impacted depth and the first unit, with T.J. Edwards, Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon and Dayo Odeyingbo missing significant time this season.
Coordinator Dennis Allen understand that his personnel impacts the calls that are made and the coverages employed. He has conceptual preferences, playing press-man coverage, blitzing defensive backs, for example, that must get adjusted to assist the talent available to him.
[READ: Bears practice report: Austin Booker thriving in expanded D-line role]
You have to constantly be able to evolve and change, Allen said in a Thursday press conference. You get into trouble when you just say, This is who we are, this is what we do, and were just going to go do that. Well, that may not be what the guys that we have out there playingthat may not be what suits them the best. Each and every week, each and every game plan, youre looking at, OK, what do our guys do well and then how do we put them in those positions based on what were seeing offensively, how do we put them in positions to have success.
The Bears returned several key players to practice on Thursday, but safety Jaquan Brisker remained out while dealing with a back injury. The issue arose when he defensed a pass in the end zone during Sundays victory over the Giants. He fell hard on the turf and was down an extended stretch, with teammates kneeling around him. Brisker returned to the game, however, and finished out the win.
His playing status is in some limbo despite the fact Ben Johnson said Monday that hed be alright.
Linebacker T.J. Edwards (hand/hamstring) remains out and hasnt practiced since leaving a Week 9 contest at Cincinnati. Noah Sewell continues to fill in for him at the middle linebacker spot.
[MORE: T.J. Edwards injury update: Bears linebacker underwent surgery on hand]
Receivers Rome Odunze (ankle) and DJ Moore (shoulder) returned to practice but were limited, suggesting theyre on a similar injury-management schedule that has allowed them to play in recent weeks.
Several key players returned to work and were full participants, including running back DAndre Swift and tight end Cole Kmet.
Heres the full Bears participation report:
Per Vikings beat reporters, quarterback J.J. McCarthy had a bandage on his hand for a second straight day but threw and took snaps from under center. He was listed as a full participant. Edge rusher Jonathan Greenard missed his second straight practice day.
Here are some sights and sounds from the open portion of Bears practice:
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