Top 5 Rushing Matchups
Chicago vs NY Giants
The big question for Chicago heading into this week is the health of D’Andre Swift. Swift missed last week with a groin injury, and Kyle Monangai seized the opportunity to have an excellent game against the Bengals with 26 carries for 176 yards. Swift did return to practice on Wednesday as a limited participant, which is something to watch throughout the week. Even if Swift is able to go, the concern is that he may not get the full share of carries that he had been getting early in the year. Monangai, over the last three weeks, has had 13, 7, and 26 carries in the two games prior to injury. The snap share had been about 55% Swift to 45% Monangai, when earlier this season it was closer to 65% Swift, 35% Monangai. The Bears' rebuilt offensive line has begun to pay dividends. This has been a unit that has been a concern for multiple seasons, but 2023 first-round pick Darnell Wright is emerging as one of the league’s best run-blockers, while center Drew Dalman was an excellent offseason acquisition for Chicago.
The Giants' run defense continues to struggle. Over the last two weeks, they’ve allowed three running backs to run for over 100 yards as Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley, and Tank Bigsby were all able to top this. The issue for the Giants continues to be the second and third levels. They have a strong defensive line led by Dexter Lawrence, but overall, this is a team that is designed to stop the pass while deprioritizing the run. Linebackers Darius Muasau and Bobby Okereke are not consistent tacklers and have struggled to stop the run. The good news for the Giants is that they should get Jevon Holland back at safety. This will help reduce the risk of some of the big-play potential from their opponents, as Holland historically is an upgrade compared to Dane Belton.
Buffalo at Miami