The Chicago Bears will have to face the Seattle Seahawks without their star second-year running back. Head coach Ben Johnson ruled Kyle Monangai out for Week 8 on Saturday, according to Bears reporter Kevin Fishbain. This marks the fourth straight game that Monangai will miss ever since he first popped up on the Bears' injury report with a turf toe injury.

The last time we saw Monangai, he had pulverized the New York Jets in the Bears' dominant Week 4 victory at Soldier Field. On a day when D'Andre Swift had trouble with ball security, Monangai carried the rock a career-high 30 times for 146 yards and two touchdowns. His 5.4 yards per carry average through four games was near the top of the league at the time, and he appeared to be on the verge of a breakout season.

D'Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson need to step up in a big way

Luckily for the Bears, all hope for a strong running performance in Week 8 is not lost with Monangai's absence. Despite some issues this year, Swift remains a solid running back who had an explosive performance in the Bears' season opener. Even fourth-year veteran Roschon Johnson answered the call admirably in Week 6, carrying the ball 13 times for 51 yards, though he did lose a costly fumble.

Don't forget about the Bears' dominant offensive line, either, and how critical that is to the success of any team's running game. The right side of Chicago's line, 2025 All-Pro Darnell Wright and Jonah Jackson, are arguably the best tackle-guard tandem in the entire NFL when it comes to run blocking, and it's why Ben Johnson felt comfortable in the offseason openly admitting that they prefer to run to the right side.

It's okay if opposing defenses know this tendency in Chicago's run game; it's not like they're going to stop them anyway.

The Bottom Line

It may be for the best that Monangai doesn't play in Week 8. The Bears will likely want to lean on the arm of Caleb Williams in this matchup anyway, and their defense should be ready to go blow-for-blow with the defending champs since their blockbuster trade for superstar Jefferery Simmons. Besides, after Week 8 the Bears get a favorable Week 9 matchup against the hapless Tampa Bay Buccaneers, then they get their bye week.

By then, Monangai should be fully healed up and ready for a postseason push.