Running backs have shown their stuff this season, but there's only one ball

Bears running backs Jordan Howard, Jeremy Langford and Ka'Deem Carey have each demonstrated at times this season that they are capable of being The Guy.

The guy who starts, the guy who gets the most carries, the guy who gets to pile up the most impressive stats.

But there's only one ball, so there can only be one Guy.

Langford began the season as the starter and in Week 3 he picked up 31 yards on 3 carries and caught 2 passes for 15 yards before suffering a sprained ankle that kept him out of the next four games.

Fifth-round draft pick Jordan Howard stepped in and rushed for 274 yards in his first 2½ games after replacing Langford, averaging a whopping 5.7 yards per carry.

"If there's an advantage to having injuries, it's that it gives (other) guys opportunities," coach John Fox said. "We weren't excited to get Jeremy Langford banged up, but it gave Jordan Howard an opportunity. We got to learn a lot more about his capabilities. And he's proven to us and proven to people on the outside that he's worthy of it."

During that time, the 6-foot, 222-pound Howard pretty much had the job to himself because Carey was also out with a hamstring injury.

For Carey, who spent the first two seasons of his NFL career cooling his heels behind Matt Forte, it was a lost opportunity.

"Of course it's frustrating," Carey said, "but you always have to look at the brighter side of things. Just keep striving, and that's what I did when that happened. Just looked at the little things that I needed to work on."

When Howard hit a bump in the road, rushing for just 56 yards on 22 carries (2.5 yards per carry) in the two games immediately after his back-to-back 100-yard outings, Carey stepped in. Against the Jaguars and Packers, while Howard struggled, Carey went for 98 yards on 19 attempts (5.2-yard average), the most yards he's produced in back-to-back games in his career.

On Sunday, Carey returns to Tampa's Raymond James Stadium, where 10½ months ago he had his only multiple-TD game, scoring on a 1-yard run and a 1-yard reception.

Is that an indication of what Carey can do when given the chance?

"Yes, yes, yes, definitely," he said. "An opportunity presents itself, and you just run with it, and that's what all us backs have been doing, and that's what we'll continue to do."

In the Bears' last game, the 20-10 conquest of the Vikings on Halloween Night, Howard was back in the starting lineup and gained the upper hand in the battle for No. 1. He rushed for 153 yards on 26 carries and caught 4 passes for 49 yards. Only seven NFL players have rushed for more yards in a game this season.

"Jeremy got hurt, and (Howard's) reps picked up, and it wasn't too big for him," Fox said. "He's handled it well. He's a humble kid, good teammate, a real high-character guy who's kept a level head. Sometimes early success can go to a guy's head. But that has not been the case with Jordan."

Langford returned for the first time in five weeks against the Vikings, but with the Bears riding Howard's hot hand, the opening-day starter played just five snaps, catching 1 pass for 11 yards.

Now he's had two more weeks to get back to 100 percent. His new role?

"To continue to get healthy," said offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains. "We'll continue to play the hot hand, however (running backs) coach (Stan) Drayton, myself or coach Fox sees it.

"Mentally, his job is to be ready when his number is called. That's the mentality when he does get an opportunity to get in the game. Whenever that is, we expect him to come in and perform at a very high level."

For now, Howard is The Guy, but the competition will continue.

The only sure winner is the Bears' run game.

"It just makes us play harder because we don't know how many opportunities we're going to get," Howard said. "So we try to make the most of our opportunities."

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When opportunity knocks …

How the Bears' three running backs compare this season:

Rushing Passing

Name Att. Yds. Avg. Rec. Yds. Avg.

Jordan Howard 99 505 5.1 18 177 9.8

Ka'Deem Carey 25 110 4.4 3 27 9.0

Jeremy Langford 31 116 3.7 6 38 6.3

Source: NFL.com