Khalil Herbert Sees Better Footing Ahead for Running Game

Five weeks away in a football season is like a couple months away in baseball.

Bears running back Khalil Herbert wanted to make a smashing return from an ankle injury after five missed games and didn't, but he has been through it all before so he wasn't surprised Sunday when he found it would take more than simply returning to the field.

"You feel the difference of not playing football for a couple weeks, just being able to get back out there and get my feet wet and get some plays and reps under me," he said. "

After five weeks away, Herbert gained 35 yards on 16 attempts, or 2.2 yards a carry. It was his lowest yards per carry output this year, so he's looking forward to a bigger second game Monday night against Minnesota.

"Same thing as we talked about with Justin (Fields), when you're out for so long, just getting your feet back underneath you–you can kind of saw that in that he got better as the game went on," offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said. "We anticipate him coming out and having a great day."

The difference for Herbert was just being hit or eluding tackles again, nothing particularly unusual. In 2022 he missed four games and returned after missing four games, only to rush for 7 yards in six carries against Buffalo. Eventually, it returned with 81 yards over two games on 15 carries.

"There's nothing like getting tackled to the ground," Herbert said. "You can practice all you want and do all the things but you're not getting tackled to the ground (at practice), you're not having people diving at your legs, and just things like that. You've got to get used to the speed of the game again, just stuff like that that you don't ever really think of. As you go along you get better.

"I feel like it's always the same thing. There's nothing that replicates being in a game and getting in that game shape than a game."

The Lions thwarted the Bears running game by sending linebackers quickly into gaps. They weren't run blitzes, Herbert said, although former NFL lineman Mark Schlereth insisted they were on the TV broadcast.

"They didn't really play too many run blitzes," Herbert said. "They see run, they're downhill right away trying to peel you off of combos (combination blocks). But I feel like we did a good job of handling it. We've just got to finish it at the end."

The ground game eventually piled up a season's high 183 yards, although 104 came courtesy of Justin Fields' running.

The backs felt upon reviewing film, it was very close to being much better.

"One block away or just me having to make that extra guy miss," Herbert said. "It's frustrating but you've just got to find a way to make something happen out of that."

Doing it against the Vikings won't be much easier than against the Lions, who are sixth against the run. With its blitzing scheme, Minnesota is fourth against the run.

"They definitely present a lot more looks but we've been practicing, watching the film getting ready for it," Herbert said. "I feel like we've just got to do what we do, follow our rules and we'll be OK."

It can't hurt having that first performance after sitting five weeks out of the way.