Wondering about a player, a past game or another issue involving the Bears? Senior writer Larry Mayer answers a variety of questions from fans on ChicagoBears.com.
Bears rookie Khalil Herbert has really excelled over the last three weeks. How does his production compare to other NFL running backs?
Steve H.
Iowa
Over the last three games, Khalil Herbert has rushed for the third most yards in the NFL with 272 on 55 carries. The only running backs with more are the Titans' Derrick Henry with 359 yards on 78 attempts and the Colts' Jonathan Taylor with 305 yards on 47 carries. That's pretty impressive company for the Bears' sixth-round draft pick from Virginia Tech.
It seems to me that the Bears have generally bounced back pretty well from lopsided losses under Matt Nagy. What do the stats say about that?
Brian G.
Naperville, Illinois
The stats back you up. The Bears are 3-0 in games immediately following a loss of at least 20 points in Matt Nagy's four seasons as coach, including 2-0 this year. In 2019, they rebounded from a 26-3 setback to the Chiefs with a 21-19 victory over the Vikings. This year, they bounced back from a 34-14 defeat to the Rams to beat the Bengals 20-17 and followed a 26-6 loss to the Browns with a 24-14 victory over the Lions. We'll see if they can make it 4-0 Sunday when they host the 49ers.
Which player do you think the Bears missed most in Sunday's loss to the Buccaneers?
David S.
Provo, Utah
It would be easy to say outside linebacker Robert Quinn or defensive tackle Akiem Hicks because they're obviously great players who were missed. But if I had to pick one, and it is 100 percent tied to the circumstances involved, I'd say it was right tackle Elijah Wilkinson. He has done a good job subbing for the injured Germain Ifedi, and the Bears found out only a few hours before game-time that Wilkinson was being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Inexperienced second-year pro Lachavious Simmons started in Wilkinson's place and struggled, allowing two strip/sacks that resulted in turnovers and greatly affected the game.
Chalk Talk features fan questions multiple times each week. Email your question to Larry.
