LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The Chicago Bears finally got to see rookie running back David Montgomery's potential in Week 8. Coach Matt Nagy called 27 rushing plays for the third-round pick out of Iowa State, netting 135 yards and one touchdown.

Nagy’s offense continues to rank near the bottom of the league in rushing yards per game (26th), yards per rush (27th), rushing touchdowns (tied for 25th) and yards after first contact per rush (30th), but Montgomery’s production in a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers was encouraging.

The Bears have been a pass-first offense under Nagy, but desperate times call for radical changes. Chicago opened the game in the I-formation, which wasn't in Nagy's playbook until last week's game.

The Bears ran seven times for 44 yards out of the I-formation, including Montgomery’s 4-yard touchdown run. Montgomery had three rushes for 8 yards or more out of the I. The Bears also ran one play-action pass from the I-formation, gaining 31 yards on a throw from quarterback Mitchell Trubisky to receiver Allen Robinson.

“David runs the ball hard. I don't know how many broken tackles there were last Sunday,” Nagy said on Monday. “... You know, it started with the very first play, he broke two good tackles, he spun and everyone felt it. ... Maybe we come out running like wing-T next week and we win?"

As Nagy said last week, “he’s not an idiot.”

The second-year head coach understood the Bears had to run the ball with more frequency coming off a franchise-low seven rushing attempts in Week 7. To illustrate Chicago’s lack of commitment to the run, Montgomery, even after a career day against the Chargers, ranks 24th in rushing yards per game, 38th in yards per rush, 33rd in yards before first contact per rush and 34th in yards after first contact per rush, per ESPN Stats & Information research. In short, Montgomery has been underutilized and ineffective behind Chicago’s offensive line through the first six games.

“Running the ball kind of opens up the whole offense for us,” Bears tight end Trey Burton said.

The final outcome did not change. The Bears lost the game, on a missed field goal, but they were better than L.A. in total first downs, third-down efficiency, total net yards, net yards rushing, net yards passing and time of possession.

Feeding the ball to Montgomery was a major reason. The effort was noticed by a veteran offensive line.

“He works his tail off,” Bears left tackle Charles Leno said on Tuesday. “He’s always asking us questions trying to get better. So I just like his work ethic, and it’s just really good to see, especially coming from a young guy like that.

“... He’s always asking how am I supposed to make this happen instead of just going at it blindly.”

The Bears will likely lean on Montgomery again against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, Fox). With Trubisky still struggling, Montgomery represents the Bears’ best weapon on offense. The 22-year-old running back didn’t get the Bears into this mess, but he’s now charged with pulling them out of it.

“We all trust and are together," Montgomery said Sunday. "Those are the two words we use. Trust and together. Those are the biggest words that mean the most. We just stick together, and we’ll be sure to handle this bit of adversity.”