Only the most delusional of Bears fans didn’t expect some ups and downs in Ben Johnson’s first season as head coach. We’ve had exactly that through four games.

The opening loss to Minnesota was frustrating because it felt all too familiar. The Bears dominated for three quarters, but offensive inconsistency and momentary defensive lapses allowed the Vikings to stay within striking distance. And then they did.

The Bears gave away a game they should’ve won. They couldn’t put away a defeated opponent and they let victory slip away, like so many times under Matt Eberflus.

Unfortunately, the following game against Detroit also resembled the Eberflus era. The Bears seemed wholly unprepared and were humiliated by the Lions.

In the first sign that this is a new era of Bears football, Ben Johnson took full accountability. He vowed that things would change and he kept his promise.

The Dallas game might have been the Bears best offensive display since the short lived glory days of the Marc Trestman era.

Caleb Williams played perhaps his best game as a professional and for the first time in his NFL career, he didn’t suffer a single sack.

The Bears squandered an early lead, and I cannot be the only fan that thought “here we go, again”. These Bears, however, are different.

After taking the lead back, the Bears then engineered a great drive to end the first half with a touchdown and a ten point lead. Then, early in the second half, the Bears embarked on a soul crushing, run heavy, time consuming drive culminating in Williams’ fourth touchdown pass.

With the help of an opportunistic defense, the Bears were able to salt away the game and claim the first victory of the Ben Johnson era.

As enjoyable as that victory was, it was the win in Las Vegas that truly made me believe that we are in a new era of Chicago Bears football.

The Bears offense was inconsistent and they lacked any semblance of an effective running game. They nearly allowed Maxx Crosby to take over the game.

Defensively, they were gashed by the Raiders running game. But, they also proved to be opportunistic, once again.

The Bears persevered. Williams made some big throws and used his legs to great effect, when needed. They took the lead late, but failed on the two point conversion that would’ve put them in a more comfortable position. They also left too much time on the clock.

To complicate matters, they gave up a long kickoff return, putting the Raiders in excellent position to win the game.

I have been jaded by past Bears disappointments. I was ready to hang my head in defeat. The Bears had been unable to fully capitalize on the four turnovers they had created and now they were about to lose a game they should have won.

But…

Kevin Byard, in addition to his two interceptions, came up with a huge run stuff on third and short, forcing the Raiders to attempt a long game winning field goal.

Then it happened.

Josh Blackwell shot off the edge, launched himself through the air and blocked the kick!

After having our hearts ripped out many times in exactly this fashion, it was glorious to see the Bears do it to another fan base. This team is learning how to win.

I’m Happy With:

• Caleb Williams- This season was always about Williams’ development. It hasn’t always been smooth, but the growth has been evident. He’s been more decisive, more accurate on his deep passes and playing more within structure. He’s missed some throws and some reads, but with each game you can see his grasp of this offense improving. I have little doubt that the Bears have their franchise quarterback and that Caleb Williams will rewrite the Bears passing record books.
• Rome Odunze- Odunze’s ascension to WR1 has been glorious to behold. The chemistry between him and Williams is obvious and it’s great to see him being used in proper fashion. With all due respect to Brandon Marshall & DJ Moore, Odunze may go down as the best WR in Bears history.
• Tyrique Stevenson- Kyler Gordon hasn’t played a single down this season and Jaylon Johnson played less than a half, yet the Bears secondary has held their own, despite a distinct lack of pass rush. Stevenson has been a big reason for that. He was awful down the stretch last season and got off to a rough start this year, but he’s turned it around the last couple weeks. The Bears needed him to step up in Johnson’s absence and it bodes well for their future if Stevenson can become 1B to Johnson’s 1A on the corners.

• Ben Johnson- I was ecstatic when the Bears hired Ben Johnson to replace Matt Eberflus as head coach. After four games, I’m entirely convinced he’s the right man for the job. Week one felt all too familiar with an inexcusable collapse. Week two saw the Bears thoroughly unprepared and outplayed, but unlike past years, the head coach took responsibility and vowed change. He’s delivered since. Johnson’s offensive genius was never in doubt, there were questions about whether he had the gravitas to be the head coach. In my mind, he’s answered that question and the team is buying in. It’s nice to see a coach looking pissed off on the sideline than one with a thoroughly confused look like Eberflus often wore.

I’m Concerned About:

• The Running Game- The Bears had that one great drive against Dallas where they leaned on the running game, beyond that they’ve produced little on the ground outside of Caleb Williams scrambles. The offensive line has been decent thus far, so I think the problem lies with the running back position. In Detroit, Ben Johnson had Jahmyr Gibbs & David Montgomery, aka Sonic & Knuckles. The Bears don’t have anything close to that. D’Andre Swift can be electric in space, but he’s not proven to be an effective between the tackles runner. There’s been talk of the Bears looking for a better lead back on the trade market, but I don’t think that’s necessary or likely, due to the cost. Instead, I think rookie Kyle Monangai should be given a greater share of the carries. He’s the type of physical between the tackles runner that can wear down a defense and open up the passing game even more. They will never be Sonic & Knuckles, but Swift & Monangai could be an effective duo, if used in a more balanced fashion.

• The Defensive Line- The Bears run defense has been especially bad thus far, and they’ve generated little pass rush. They’ve been bailed out in the passing game by the play of the secondary, but I fear their inability to stop the run could prove fatal to any postseason hopes we may have. Help is on the way, however. Linebacker TJ Edwards should finally make his season debut which should help the run defense. Defensive end Austin Booker is eligible to come off IR, which helps the pass rush. Meanwhile, the return of nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon will boost their run & pass defense.
• DJ Moore & Cole Kmet- This pains me because Moore & Kmet have been two of my favorite Bears for the last couple of years (hell, I even have a DJ Moore jersey), but neither have developed the chemistry with Caleb Williams that they had with Justin Fields. It’s also obvious that neither are a priority in Ben Johnson’s scheme. They’ll become less of a priority as rookies Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III become a bigger part of the offense. At this point, I would not be surprised if neither Moore or Kmet are on this team next season. Both make too much money to be, at best, the third and fourth options in the passing game. Moore, I think, has a good chance of being moved before this year’s trade deadline.
• Left Tackle- It appears as if Braxton Jones has lost his starting job, but I have concerns about whether Theo Benedet can hold up at left tackle. I find myself wondering if Darnell Wright can make the switch to the left side because I think the Bears best tackle combination could be Wright and rookie Ozzy Trapilo.

Looking Ahead:

The Bears have an opportunity to show the NFL they’re a different team over the next few weeks. They’ve got a string of winnable games and how they fare could define the first year of the Ben Johnson era.

• @ Washington Commanders- The site and the foe that turned their season upside down last year. The second battle between the first and second picks of the 2024 draft. A chance at redemption, a chance to change the narrative surrounding the Chicago Bears. It won’t be easy, but the Bears can win this.
• vs New Orleans Saints- Flat out, this is a must win game. The Saints are one of the least talented teams in the league and it’s in Chicago. The Saints play hard, but the Bears must win this one.
• @ Baltimore Ravens- The Ravens season has been a disaster thus far, but if Lamar Jackson is healthy you have to believe they’ll turn it around. Two weeks ago, I would have written this down as a loss and just hoped the Bears didn’t embarrass themselves. Now, there’s at least a sliver of hope.
• @ Cincinnati Bengals- Before the season started, I thought the Bears wouldn’t be able to slow down the Bengals offense enough to pull this one out. However, Joe Burrow will be out until at least December and Cincy is barely competitive without him. The Bengals defense is suspect and the Bears ball hawking defense should enjoy facing Jake Browning.
• vs New York Giants- The Giants got a bit of a boost by inserting Jaxson Dart into the starting lineup, but like a lot of rookie QBs, he showed some questionable ball security in his second start. The Giants will also be without their best offensive weapon in Malik Nabers. New York does have a fierce pass rush, but with this one in Chicago, I feel the Bears should prevail.

I think the Bears should, at minimum, go 3-2 over the next five and I think there is a pretty good chance they go 4-1. That would leave them at 5-4 or 6-3 heading into the rematch with Minnesota, Five wins would also match their total from last season.

The third quarter of their schedule is tough, but heading into it above .500 should boost their confidence.

Random NFL Thoughts:

• Most Surprising Team: Indianapolis Colts- I’m still not a believer in Daniel Jones, but I am a believer in Jonathan Taylor and the Colts. They’re possibly a boneheaded Adonai Mitchell play away from being the only undefeated team in the NFL.
• Most Disappointing Team: Baltimore Ravens- Even before Lamar Jackson’s injury, the Ravens haven’t looked like the juggernaut I believed them to be when I picked them to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. The defense has gotten shredded in every game except versus Cleveland. Derrick Henry has had uncharacteristic fumble issues. Baltimore has issues, but they remain a dangerous team, for now.

• MVP: Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills- Right now, I think Allen is the favorite to repeat as MVP, but I think Baker Mayfield is a strong contender. Daniel Jones is probably number two, for now, but I still expect him to falter. A dark horse candidate could be New England QB Drake Maye.

• Offensive Rookie of the Year: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Egbuka has been sensational and has already established himself as Tampa’s new WR1.

• Defensive Rookie of the Year: Abdul Carter, EDGE, New York Giants– Carter has been as good as advertised and has fueled rumors of Kayvon Thibodeaux being on the trade block.
• New Super Bowl Pick: Philadelphia Eagles over Buffalo Bills- I picked Philly over Baltimore before the season and I still think the Eagles are the favorite. I think they’ll eventually figure things out on offense and the defense is elite. Buffalo is me default pick in the AFC due to Baltimore’s collapse, but I have reservations about whether or not the Bills can overcome the Kansas City Chiefs when it matters.