Attention nickname trackers: Chicago Bears running back Tarik Cohen would like to place dibs on the available "Thunder and Lightning" moniker for himself and Jordan Howard.
The duo shined in Sunday's 23-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, dashing off eight runs of 13 yards or more, gobbling up a combined 216 yards rushing and 50 yards receiving.
"I think of us as 'Thunder and Lightning' because he's in there punishing linebackers and punishing defensive backs and then I can come in and break a big play -- he feeds off of me and I feed off of him," Cohen said, via ESPN.com.
The "Thunder and Lightning" nickname has been a traditional one used for a power-back and quick-runner tandem. Chuck Muncie and Tony Galbreath owned the nickname for the New Orleans Saints in the late '70s. Mike Alstott and Warrick Dunn, Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw, Reggie Bush and LenDale White in college, are a few who briefly garnered the nickname along the way (I'm sure I'm missing several more).
Howard and Cohen have a good case to take on the moniker.
"I feel like we can be the best running back tandem," Cohen said. "The things he does great, I can complement. When he beats up a defense, I can come in and spark it up and maybe have a big run here and there. And then he can get in there and do what he does; be the running back he was last year."
With the Bears hiding quarterback Mike Glennon, John Fox is deploying his dream scenario: A run-first, run-always offense, powered by two distinct tailbacks.
While Howard earned his first 100-yard game of the season Sunday -- fighting through a shoulder injury to pull it off, no less -- Cohen has been a wonder through three games. The slippery jitterbug back not only averages 6.5 yards per carry, he's also the Bears' leading receiver with 20 receptions for 126 yards.
Call them whatever you want, just get used to hearing their name. Regardless of which quarterback takes snaps the rest of the season, Howard and Cohen will be the engine that drives the Bears' offense.
