Ben Johnson's influence has Bears ranking 2nd in big-time offensive category
With the arrival of new coach Ben Johnson, Chicago Bears fans got on the edge of their seats. They expected not only to win, but to see trick plays and - also following his blueprint in Detroit - maybe even production from tight ends.
After an ugly 0-2 start the Bears have rebounded with three consecutive wins. But the razzle dazzle gadgets and the tight ends - other than a key third-down catch by rookie Colston Loveland last Monday night at Washington - will have to wait.
But there's something esle Johnson has not-so-subtlely injected into the Bears' offense: chunk plays.
And, hand-in-hand, points.
Quarterback Caleb Williams and his unit have scored 20+ points in each of the first five games, something last achieved by a Bears' offense 30 years ago. The offense is doing it with a plethora of big plays.
Last year through five games the Bears managed only 21 big plays (runs of 10+ and receptions of 20+ yards). This season? 39.
The Bears already have four players - Williams, D'Andre Swift, Olimade Zaccheaus and Kyle Monangai - with runs of 10+ yards. Seven receivers have catches of 20+ yards, including Swift's 55-yard touchdown that ignited the comeback win in Washington. In the Week 3 blowout of the Cowboys, they had four pass plays of 30+ yards.
Chicago has 18 "big" running plays and 18 "big" passing plays. Johnson's offense is averaging 7.2 of them per game, ranking second in the NFL behind only the Los Angeles Rams. The Lions, for what it's worth, are averaging only 5.5 per game.
The Bears hope the offense can produce big plays Sunday at Soldier Field when they look for their fourth consecutive win over the 1-5 New Orleans Saints.
Ravens Legend Ray Lewis Urges NFL to Investigate Referees After Steelers’ Controversial Loss to Bengals: “They Got Robbed, and the League Can’t Ignore This.”
Cincinnati, OH – October 14, 2025 — Even the fiercest rival the Pittsburgh Steelers have ever known couldn’t stay silent after what unfolded on Thursday Night Football. Ravens Hall of Famer
Ray Lewis — the face of Baltimore’s defensive legacy — has broken his silence following the Steelers’ heartbreaking 31–33 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, calling for an official NFL investigation into what he labeled
“a disgrace to the game.”
“No one wanted the Steelers to lose more than I did — but not like this,” Lewis said. “The Steelers got robbed, and everyone who watched that game knows it. Those calls weren’t just wrong — they stole what this team fought for.”
His words echoed across the league, igniting an instant storm online as fans and analysts questioned the officiating that tilted momentum in Cincinnati’s favor. Two pivotal calls have since drawn heavy scrutiny — both shifting the outcome of one of the AFC North’s most heated battles.
With 2:52 left in the fourth quarter, quarterback Aaron Rodgers launched a deep pass toward DK Metcalf that was intercepted by Bengals corner Jordan Battle. Replays revealed the throw sailed inches beyond Metcalf’s fingertips before contact, appearing
uncatchable. Despite the magnitude of the play, referees refused to initiate a review, handing Cincinnati possession that led to the game-winning field goal.
Aaron Rodgers has ~words~ for the officials after this is ruled an INT
pic.twitter.com/vFav3z5qm6 — Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) October 17, 2025
The moment sparked outrage across X under the trending tag #RiggedTNF, with analysts calling it one of the season’s biggest officiating failures.
“That’s a play that changes standings, playoff implications, and locker rooms,” said former ref analyst Terry McAulay. “If that’s not reviewed, what is?”
Earlier, a questionable holding call on center
Zach Frazier in the third quarter erased a key conversion and killed a promising Steelers drive. On film, Frazier appeared to anchor perfectly — no grab, no twist, no pull — yet the 10-yard penalty forced a punt.
“That call was soft,” wrote ESPN’s Mina Kimes. “You can’t penalize clean blocking in that moment.”
Even Bengals fans admitted online that something felt off, noting the 11–4 penalty imbalance
that consistently pushed Pittsburgh backward. And while Cincinnati celebrated, Ray Lewis’ unexpected defense of his long-time rival stole the postgame spotlight.
“You don’t have to wear black and gold to see what happened,”
he said. “You don’t cheat the game to win it. If the NFL ignores this, then the message is clear — fairness is optional.”
The league has yet to release any official statement on the officiating controversy, but pressure is mounting for the NFL’s competition committee to review the tape.
As Lewis concluded, “The Bengals got the win. The Steelers got robbed. But what really lost tonight — was the integrity of football itself.”
