Ben Johnson praised underrated trait Cole Kmet has no Bears fan talks about
The Chicago Bears’ 19-17 victory over the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium didn’t feature the offensive production that had been featured in previous weeks.
Going into the Week 11 matchup, the Bears averaged 26.5 points per game and fell short of that mark. The offense scored just one touchdown and converted seven of 18 third-down attempts.
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores heavily blitzed, which impacted the Bears’ offense. To combat the blitz, the Bears used their tight ends more in the passing game against the Vikings than in any other game this season.
Cole Kmet shined with Colston Loveland with strong games for the Bears
Bears tight ends finished with nine receptions on 12 targets for 93 yards. The previous high for targets to tight ends was nine, which occurred in Weeks 4 and 9 against the Las Vegas Raiders and Cincinnati Bengals.
Cole Kmet led the Bears with his five receptions for 45 yards, and the veteran tight end served as a safety blanket for Caleb Williams when the Vikings blitzed off the edge.
Bears head coach Ben Johnson was asked about Kmet’s play during his Zoom press conference.
“I thought Cole played one of his best games he has so far this year,” Johnson said. “I get he caught a couple more balls, but I'm not even talking about that. He's great in the running game and then pass pro we put him in some tough matchups there on some of their defensive end or outside linebacker types, and I thought he did an outstanding job throughout that. When he was a ball carrier, you felt his presence out there. He was lowering his shoulder, he was stiff-arming. He brought our sideline to life a couple of times.”
Rookie tight end Colston Loveland caught three passes for 40 yards, including a 24-yard reception on third-and-13. Durham Smythe caught one pass for eight yards on three targets.
According to
Read more: Ben Johnson is avoiding one critical Bears topic like the plague
Although the offense must make noticeable improvements after the win over the Vikings, the tight ends' involvement in the overall game plan is something Johnson should continue to develop in the second half of the regular season.
Ex-Browns QB Baker Mayfield Makes Life-Changing Announcement
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Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield shared some life-changing news.
Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield shared life-changing news on Tuesday, announcing that he and his wife, Emily, are expecting another child.
The couple revealed the news with a social media post featuring Mayfield beaming in a series of photos.
“New addition coming April 2026, and we couldn’t feel luckier,” Emily wrote.
The Mayfields welcomed their first child, Kova Jade Mayfield, in 2024. It’s the latest dose of good news for Mayfield, who has revitalized his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after being cast aside by Cleveland in 2022.
Browns Cast Aside Baker Mayfield After Deshaun Watson Trade
The Browns sent Mayfield packing in the 2022 offseason after trading for Deshaun Watson, signaling they no longer viewed the former No. 1 overall pick as their long-term answer at quarterback. A torn labrum had derailed Mayfield’s final season in Cleveland, limiting him to 17 touchdowns, 13 interceptions and a career-low 40.9 quarterback rating.
Mayfield admitted that the situation in Cleveland forced him to reset both on and off the field.
“God taught me a lesson,” Mayfield said on the Sports Spectrum podcast in March. “He had to take my career down to the studs and make me realize that I’m more than a football player. There’s much more going on than the game of football, and for me to see that, I had to hit rock bottom. And that was it. It wasn’t just football. It was in our marriage.”
Mayfield was ultimately traded to the Carolina Panthers, where he was waived after six starts. A brief but promising stint with the Los Angeles Rams followed, though his future remained uncertain. Mayfield rebooted his career in Tampa Bay, signing a one-year, $4 million “prove-it” deal in 2023. He delivered in a big way—earning a Pro Bowl nod and turning that performance into a three-year, $100 million extension in March 2024.
This season, Mayfield has thrown for 2,365 yards, 17 touchdowns and just three interceptions, continuing one of the strongest stretches of his NFL career. The Bucs are leading the NFC South with a 6-4 record.
Browns QB Situation Remains Unresolved
Meanwhile in Cleveland, the Browns are still chasing an answer to their seemingly eternal quarterback dilemma. The blockbuster trade for Watson has proven to be a costly “swing-and-miss,” saddling the franchise with a fully guaranteed $230 million contract and very little on-field return.
Since arriving in Cleveland, Watson has posted just a 9-10 record and currently sits on the physically unable to perform/reserve list. Whether he’ll return in any capacity this season remains uncertain.
Cleveland hoped to reset the room by drafting both Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, but stability has remained elusive. The Browns opened the year with 40-year-old Joe Flacco, then transitioned to Gabriel after four games. Gabriel has gone 1-5 as the starter. He suffered a concussion on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, forcing the team to turn to Sanders.
The high-profile fifth-rounder endured a tough debut, completing only four passes for 47 yards with an interception in one half of action. Despite the rough start, Sanders is expected to make his first NFL start on Sunday when the Browns face the Las Vegas Raiders.
