BREAKING: BEN JOHNSON SET FOR HIS BIGGEST TEST YET AS BEARS RETURN FROM BYE WEEK
Upon Ben Johnson’s arrival in the Windy City back in January, fans of the Chicago Bears have had deliriously high expectations for the 39-year-old first time head coach. Whether we we’re all willing to admit it or not, from the time Johnson left behind the Detroit Lions to become the new head coach of the Bears, we started thinking about big picture things like, ‘How long will it be until Chicago returns to the Super Bowl?’
But in reality, to earn the immediate respect and appreciation of Bears fans, Ben Johnson didn’t need to deliver on those lofty hopes. Based on the previous four head coaches of the Chicago Bears, we just needed Ben Johnson to check just a few boxes to ensure he wasn’t like the last handful of guys who have sat in the big seat at Halas Hall…
Is Ben Johnson a complete and total goofball who refuses to take accountability for his faults, much to the dismay of his players (like Matt Eberflus?)
Is Ben Johnson going to show early promise as a play-caller and then see everything fall apart over the second, third and fourth season’s of his tenure (like Matt Nagy?)
Is Ben Johnson doing this just to collect a paycheck (like it seemed like John Fox was doing?)
Is Ben Johnson the kind of ‘offensive mastermind’ who can actually facilitate the necessary change on that side of the ball while simultaneously not losing the support of the locker room (unlike Marc Trestman AND Matt Nagy?)
But this Monday night, as the Bears visit the Washington Commanders in one of two games on a Monday Night Football double-header, Johnson has a chance to do something that none of these four predecessors were able to do on a consistent basis… secure a win coming off of a bye week.
Over the previous 12 seasons, the Bears have gone 2-10 in their first game following a bye week, which is a damning indictment of the quality of these four head coaches. Only Eberflus (1-2) and Trestman (1-1) managed to get wins, while Nagy (0-4) and Fox (0-3) failed to get a single victory, even with an extra week of preparation and rest.
Ben Johnson’s Approach Coming Off Of Bye Week
If you were expecting some grand epiphany out of Ben Johnson as it relates to his approach to the bye week, you’ll likely be disappointed by his mindset. As Johnson put it, objective number one for his team was making sure that everyone’s body and minds were in the right place coming out of the week off.
“I don’t know if there’s any secret sauce to it, to be honest with you. These guys, I’m pretty pleased with how they approached it,” Johnson said, per Alyssa Barbieri of Bears Wire. “I think a lot of them stayed local and they just wanted to get their bodies right, wanted to get sleep back in order. So they should be feeling fresh right now. We had a couple extra route sessions, but that’s as much conditioning as it is just being on the same page, hooking up.”
Beyond that, Johnson and his staff have been focused on the execution, just as has been the case since the team got together in late-July to begin training camp.
“But each week’s its own deal. I would love to have another 40 point game, but it’s one of those things you just never know,” Johnson added. “We have to go earn it. We have to have a great week here in terms of our preparation, and then we have to go out and execute, hopefully better than we have the previous four weeks. That’s what we’re looking to do. I really don’t think of anything coming off the bye or anything like that. We’re on to the next one.”
The next one for the Bears is a Commanders team coming off of an impressive road victory over the Los Angeles Chargers last Sunday. Not only do the Bears need to deal with reigning Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels, who has been the subject of plenty of Ben Johnson praise this week, but they also need to deal with the emotional burden of returning where their season died last year.
Veteran WR Believes in Patriots' Talent Despite Injuries
The New England Patriots' 2025 NFL regular season opener is set for Sunday, with the roster ready to show off their talent under new head coach Mike Vrabel.
However, not every Patriot player is at 100%. Unfortunately, cornerback Christian Gonzalez has been sidelined and ruled out from the opening game against Las Vegas due to a hamstring injury during the team’s fifth training camp practice. In addition, rookie offensive lineman and left tackle Will Campbell was recently listed as questionable for Week 1 but has since been reported as being on track to see the field against the Raiders. Most recently, fellow cornerback Charles Woods was downgraded to "out" status for Sunday as well.
Regardless, the Pats have a game to play.
Wide receiver Stefon Diggs has since turned the attention away from the injuries, and has repointed to the talent the Patriots still have available on their roster to show off on Sunday.
Diggs said there are number of players who will see action that have a high skill level and are ready for Sunday.
“We got a lot of guys that can make plays at a high level. What I’m accustomed to doesn’t mean [anything]… I’m excited just to get out there," Diggs said. "If you get this many targets or that many targets, just eat what’s on your plate.”
The 6'0", 191-pound wideout was signed by the Patriots as an unrestricted free agent from Houston in March of 2025. Prior to 2024, he registered six consecutive seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards.
And to put it blunt, Diggs is correct. The Patriots and Vrabel have plenty of up-and-coming talent to accommodate Gonzalez and Woods being missing in action.
Offensively, fellow wide receiver Efton Chism III will be a rookie to watch this year for the Pats, as the undrafted Eastern Washington alum made the 53-man roster and has been praised by the coaching staff. Additionally, running back TreVeyon Henderson's speed has been hyped up plenty by offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
“Awesome individual. Really hard worker. Smart kid. Can process a lot of information… explosive … and tough ... I don’t have many negatives to say," McDaniels previously said while also saying the rookie is the fastest running back he's ever worked with.
At the cornerback position specifically, Gonzalez's status could also mean that Carlton Davis III, Alex Austin and/or D.J. James might see more action in the defensive backfield.
Kick-off at Gillette Stadium is slated for 1:00 p.m. EST on Sunday; the Patriots currently lead the all-time series over Las Vegas (20-17-1).
