After winning a competitive game against the Las Vegas Raiders, the Chicago Bears (2-2) enter their bye week with an even record. Led by new head coach Ben Johnson and former No. 1 overall pick quarterback Caleb Williams, the Bears had high expectations this season. As of right now, Chicago has fallen short of those expectations and may go another season under .500.
The Ben Johnson effect
Johnson was introduced to the Windy City as the new head coach earlier this year. He had helped the Detroit Lions build the league’s best offense and clinch the top seed in the NFC last season. The Bears hoped that Johnson would bring that same high-scoring philosophy to Chicago.
So far, the Johnson effect has made the Bears’ offense night and day compared to last season. The Bears finished dead last in yards per game (284.6) last year. Through the first four games, Johnson has brought Chicago’s offensive productivity to the middle of the pack.
In 2024, it seemed impossible for the Bears to score a touchdown. Even though it had a positive record early last year, Chicago’s defense carried the team to a 4-2 record. Now under Johnson, the Bears have cooked up 328 yards per game and sit ahead of notable teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers.
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One player who has thrived in the new offense is wide receiver Rome Odunze. The Bears drafted Odunze No. 9 overall in last year’s draft. After a quiet rookie year, the receiver has flourished under Johnson. Taking the WR1 role, Odunze has nearly 300 receiving yards and five touchdowns, second-most in the NFL.
While the offense is showing signs of improvement, there are still some kinks to work out. The revamped offensive line has failed to adequately protect Williams against the pass rush.
So far, Williams has been sacked seven times, tied for the third least amount in the league. Although this is an improvement from last year, Williams also leads the NFL in hurried throws by a wide margin. This is not what you want from your offensive line. The more pressure Williams experiences, the more the offense freezes on the field, and fans get flashbacks to last season.
“Oh, how the tables have turned”
We must have entered the twilight zone. The Bears’ offense is outperforming the defense early on this season.
The Bears currently rank among the worst defenses in the league so far. Chicago is giving up almost 380 offensive yards per game and ranks dead last in rushing yards allowed.
Against the Raiders, the Bears let running backs Ashton Jeanty and Raheem Mostert combine for 200 yards. The defense gave up nearly as many rushing yards as the Bears’ total offensive performance.
Chicago has been fighting the injury bug early this season, as the majority of its secondary has missed time. All-Pro cornerback Jaylon Johnson underwent season-ending surgery. Cornerback Kyler Gordon has yet to play due to a hamstring injury, but there is hope that he returns after the bye week.
Newly acquired defensive end Grady Jarrett has been sidelined due to a knee injury. Linebacker TJ Edwards has been out for the past two weeks due to a hamstring injury as well.
With all the injuries and poor performance, newly hired defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has his work cut out for him.
What’s next
Heading into the bye week, fans can rejoice knowing things are looking better than last year. Johnson, however, has more work to do to flesh out his offense.
Heading out of the bye week, the Bears will be looked at more critically because last year’s downfall started around the same time of the season.
Going into this season, Chicago was handed the second-hardest schedule. Exiting the bye week, things will only get harder as the Bears will face the defending Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the rest of the NFC North to round out the end of the season.
Before tackling that gauntlet, the Chicago Bears will face the two-time league MVP Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens, the winless New Orleans Saints and a potential revenge game against the Washington Commanders. To keep any playoff hopes alive, the Bears will have to win as many games as they can before Thanksgiving week.
For Bears fans, it’s easy to count the team out based on last year’s collapse. Although having a slow start to the season, there have been some bright spots. This is Johnson’s first year, and there will be some low moments. But for right now, seeing growth and the competitiveness from the team is the priority moving forward.
Success takes time, and it will come around eventually for Chicago. But in the meantime, Bears fans must be patient.
@Jon_Mathew23
