Not everything came out with an air of optimism for the Chicago Bears this off-season. One of the toughest decisions made by GM Ryan Poles was not re-signing running back David Montgomery. Fans were disappointed. The former 3rd round pick had been one of the few bright lights on an otherwise lousy offense for the past few years. He fought hard on every play. Sadly, the team wasn’t willing to meet the price he was looking for. Not long after free agency began, Montgomery signed with the rival Detroit Lions for $18 million.
Some will claim he did it because it was the best deal he could get. Others will say it’s because Detroit is on the upswing and ready to contend in the playoffs. In truth, it’s hard not to feel like Montgomery chose a division rival because it gave him the best opportunity for revenge on the Bears. Everybody knows the running back is obsessively competitive. He likely views their decision to let him walk as an insult. This was pretty much confirmed when the Lions’ social media team asked him which opponent he was most excited to play.
Montgomery didn’t even think twice.
David Montgomery has Sunday, November 19th circled.
That is when the Bears come to Ford Field for the first meeting between the two teams. Detroit throttled the Bears 41-10 the last time they met on that field. No doubt, Montgomery hopes to do so again, with him making a major contribution in the process. He probably remembers what Cedric Benson did in 2009 when he got his chance at revenge. Whether the Bears cooperate is the question. They spent the off-season significantly upgrading their defensive front seven. Their interior defensive line is bigger, stronger, and deeper. They also added two high-quality linebackers in Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards.
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One should not expect them to let David Montgomery roll over them. Still, it’s reasonable to assume he will be running extra hard that day. Expect multiple broken tackles. The Bears would do well to stay out of 2nd or 3rd and short situations whenever possible. Undoubtedly, the Lions would love nothing better than to help Montgomery get his revenge. It should be an exciting game, one way or the other.
