The Detroit Lions will be at Soldier Field this weekend to take on the Chicago Bears. The Bears are reeling, and the Lions, for all their injury woes, are looking to fend off the Minnesota Vikings for the top spot in the NFC North with weeks remaining in the season.
The last time these two teams met was on Thanksgiving in Detroit. The meltdown on the game’s final drive was the nail in the coffin for former head coach Matt Eberflus. One of the top candidates to replace the departed Eberflus will be on the sideline at Soldier Field, dressed in Lions apparel. We can dream about him being on the opposite sideline the next time these two teams meet at Soldier Field, but Ben Johnson made it clear this week that he’s focused on the Lions playoff push right now.
The Chicago Sun-Times’ Patrick Finley traveled to Detroit this week to ask Johnson a pair of questions. The first concerned what Johnson has seen from rookie quarterback Caleb Williams this season. Johnson said he hadn’t had time to watch the film on Williams outside of what he watched for game-planning purposes this season and in person in November. In that limited sample, he’s been impressed by Williams.
“You could hear the ball whistle by you,” Johnson said Thursday before Lions practice. “He’s got quite a fastball, and has some creativity to him to extend plays and is accurate down the field as well.
“I haven’t really dove in, and can’t tell you much more beyond that, but he’s been impressive from afar.”
As for whether Johnson has thought about his next stop—which could be sharing a sideline with Williams—Johnson hasn’t given that much consideration. Yet, anyway.
“I have an obligation to people in the building to be right where my feet are. When I walk in, and I see the coaches staying long nights and working as hard as they’re doing, and I come in, and I see the guys, the players, in the meeting room and on the practice field attacking each day like they are, it’s hard for my mind to wander much beyond what we’re doing in the here and now.”
But once the Lions season comes to an end, whenever that is, Johnson will surely begin to think about what he could do with Caleb Williams and the Bears offense.
As for what Johnson could bring to the table, Finley surveyed some Lions players during his visit to Detroit on Thursday. Wide receiver Jameson Williams called Johnson a “mastermind on the offensive side of the ball.”
“He’s a mastermind on the offensive side of the ball,” receiver Jameson Williams said. “And I’m pretty sure he’d find somebody to take care of the defensive side.”
Veteran wide receiver Tim Patrick, who has experienced a career revival under Johnson this season, had this to say about Johnson:
“He comes up with things that you don’t really think about, but he’s also open-minded to listen to guys that have been here that have input,” he said. “He finds a way to make it work. A coach that listens to his players but also puts his own touch on it, that’s hard to find.”All Bears fans can do for now is watch Johnson on the other sideline this week. And dream about the future, of course.
Nov 28, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) scrambles out of the pocket against the Detroit Lions in the second quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn ImagesGame Info
Chicago Bears (4-10) vs. Detroit Lions (12-2)
TV: FOX (Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma, Megan Olivi)Streaming: NFL+ *Radio: ESPN 1000 AM (Jeff Joniak, Tom Thayer, Jason McKie)
Kickoff Time: Noon CTSite: Soldier Field; Chicago, IL.Referee: Clete BlakemanOdds: Lions -6.5, O/U 48 (via DraftKings)
Bears Projected Starters
Offense
QB – Caleb Williams RB – D’Andre Swift WR – DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze TE – Cole Kmet OL – Braxton Jones, Teven Jenkins, Ryan Bates, Matt Pryor, Darnell WrightDefense
DL – Montez Sweat, Zacch Pickens, Byron Cowart, DeMarcus Walker LB – T.J. Edwards, Tremaine Edmunds CB – Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, Kyler Gordon S – Kevin Byard III, Elijah HicksSpecialists
Cairo Santos (kicker), Tory Taylor (punter, holder), Scott Daly (long snapper), Josh Blackwell (kick and punt returner) Dec 16, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) throws a pass against the Minnesota Vikings during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn ImagesDetroit Lions Projected Starters
Offense
QB – Jared Goff RB – Jahmyr Gibbs WR – Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Tim Patrick TE – Sam LaPorta OL – Taylor Decker, Graham Glasnow, Frank Ragnow, Kevin Zeitler, Penei SewellDefense
DL – Za’Darius Smith, Levi Onwezurike, DJ Reader, Josh Paschal LB – Trevor Nowaske, Jack Campbell, Ezekiel Turner CB – Kindle Vildor, Terrion Arnold, Amik Robertson S – Kerby Joseph, Brian BranchSpecialists
Jake Bates (kicker), Jack Fox (punter, holder), Hogan Hatten (long snapper), Craig Reynolds (kick and punt returner)Three Bears
Every week, our Chicago Bears writers will give you their Bears player to watch in the matchup ahead. Three Bears is a staple of these previews, and with Bears coverage expanding this season, I thought it would be cool to involve all of the Bears thinkers in the exercise.
Matt Rooney: Darnell Wright – In a year without many positives, Wright has turned himself into one of the best in the back half of the season after a tough start. He’s the one true building block the Bears have on the offensive line, so I hope he can keep stacking solid performances to close out this brutal season.
© Jamie Sabau-Imagn ImagesLuis Medina: Aaron Glenn – No, Aaron Glenn isn’t a member of the Chicago Bears organization. But the Detroit Lions defensive coordinator’s name figures to pop up in connection with the Bears head coach opening. With that in mind, I will be watching to see how Detroit’s defense game plans against Caleb Williams and the Bears offense this week. Glenn might not be the Bears’ next head coach. But if his scheme looks like it could work, then perhaps — in a world where Ben Johnson becomes Chicago’s next head coach — one of his underlings can be poached for a defensive coordinator position.
Patrick Flowers: Caleb Williams – Detroit Lions OC and Bears head coaching candidate to be Ben Johnson was very complimentary of Caleb Williams this week. Williams having an impressive performance this week could go a long way in Johnson’s interest in being a part of his development moving forward.
Required Reading
Bears Head Coach Search: Liam Coen Is What the Bears Wanted in Shane Waldron Re-visiting the Kiran Amegadjie Draft Pick I Don’t Think The Bears Can Afford To Let Teven Jenkins Walk In Free Agency DJ Moore Lays Out What He Wants in the Next Bears Head Coach Read More Details
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