LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) -- Soldier Field erupted following the Bears' first offensive play Sunday. Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky lined up the offense in an I-formation, with rookie David Montgomery the running back, J.P. Holtz at fullback and Cornelius Lucas as an eligible tackle.
Trubisky took the snap under center, his blockers pushed forward and the handoff to Montgomery went for 10 yards and a first down. The loud cheers were heard along the lakefront as coach Matt Nagy prepared to call in the next play of a new-look Bears offense.
The Bears (3-4) are a last-place football that's desperate to stay in the playoff picture. Their chances of repeating as NFC North champions are bleak and so are their wild-card hopes. The sense of urgency is something Nagy and his team have accepted as the calendar is about to turn from October to November and opportunities to rally are limited.
Nagy seems willing to adapt if it means his Bears have a chance at returning to the playoffs, and that means reshaping the offensive identity he brought to Chicago. In the Bears' 17-16 loss to the Chargers on Sunday, Nagy unveiled an old-school look to his offense built around the run. Montgomery posted season-high marks with 27 rushes for 135 yards, and the Bears broke the 300-yard marker on offense for the first time this season with 388 yards.
The Bears' offensive approach previously consisted of Trubisky finding skill players in space. On Sunday, the tight end Holtz -- the team's fullback in I-formation packages -- played 29 percent of the 80 offensive snaps. The eligible tackle Lucas played 17 snaps. Tarik Cohen saw only 16 snaps.
In a loss to the Saints on Oct. 20, the Bears rushed a franchise-low seven times. Now, power running could be the foundation of an offensive identity Nagy hopes can grow.
"It was a big step," Nagy said. "It was a big step. Because we got the run game going. And when you get the run game going, it helps in a lot of different areas."
Nagy's arrival as Bears coach brought with it the billing of an explosive offense. Despite the team's success in 2018, the offensive production was limited. Chicago averaged 343.9 yards per game, which ranked 21st in the NFL. The Bears are averaging 281.4 yards and 18.3 points per game this season. Their offense is averaging 4.5 yards per play.
Opposing defensive coordinators have loaded up the box on Trubisky, who has regressed in his third NFL season, and the rookie Montgomery hadn't been truly established before Sunday.
The Bears' new threat of power rushing means potential opportunities for Trubisky to beat a defense deep.
"It just helped keep the defense honest a little bit," Trubisky said.
Play design is only part of the Bears' challenge in increasing their production. Trubisky must execute better when chances present themselves. In the fourth quarter Sunday, Nagy drew up a play with trips to the right. The key target was receiver Taylor Gabriel, who got the matchup against 36-year-old linebacker Thomas Davis that the Bears drew up during practice earlier in the week.
Trubisky had Gabriel open for a potential game-sealing touchdown pass. He instead overshot the pass for an incompletion, then lost a fumble one play later. It was an example of the inconsistencies that have hindered Trubisky during his second year working with Nagy -- the kind of mistake that the Bears figured were behind him.
Trubisky's struggles have a cumulative effect on the Bears. Their rushing game had been largely nonexistent before Sunday, their offensive line has struggled in pass protection and their defense has tired out with little time to rest on the sidelines. After the Bears attempted 54 passes and rushed seven times in that loss against the Saints, Nagy told his team he would adapt.
Running the football has helped the Bears find the rhythm missing on offense.
"It's all just those guys taking care of their job," Montgomery said. "If we're all not working on the same chord or same page, it won't work."
The results of Sunday were uneven, with the Bears producing a season-high in total yards but also falling short of their scoring average. They scored just one touchdown in five trips to the red zone, with kicker Eddy Pineiro being forced to kick three short field goals. The offense posted six plays for more than 20 yards, but none of those finished in the end zone.
Back when the Bears were on the sweltering training camp fields in Bourbonnais, Nagy was making plans for a high-octane offense, with Trubisky taking chances against a stout defense.
Nagy hoped he could replicate the potent offense operated by Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs -- from whom the Bears planted their own roots. There wasn't even a fullback on the team's 90-man roster. Nagy had no need.
Losing has forced Nagy to reform the Bears' offensive identity. They're ready to run with it.
"We're truly tested right now," Nagy said. "We've been through a lot in the last couple weeks. This is what we signed up for. We're going to see what we're made of here."
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
