Everything Ben Johnson Had To Say After Stunning 4th Quarter Victory vs. Bengals
Posted November 3, 2025
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Ben Johnson's offense put up video game numbers in a 47-42 Chicago Bears win over the Cincinnati Bengals
Let’s just start here: I’ve watched a lot of football in my 33 years, and I can confidently say that the Chicago Bears’ 47-42 win over the Cincinnati Bengals was one of the dumbest and most dramatic football games I’ve seen. As my friend Collin put it after the game, “That was like a roller coaster without a seatbelt,” and as usual, my good friend was spot on with his assessment. No wonder his nickname is ‘The Doctor.’
Consider, these two teams combined for 9 lead changes, 89 points, and 1,071 yards of total offense on Sunday afternoon. There was a kick return for a touchdown, a wide receiver to quarterback touchdown pass, a called back 95-yard pick six, a recovered onside kick, and 21 points scored in a 1 minute, 26 second span. It was like the greatest game of Madden you’ve ever seen, only real life human beings were the ones putting up the video game numbers.
Frankly, I don’t know what else to say. I’m having trouble wrapping my head around everything, in part because I’m still catching my breath. Since that’s the case, I’ll kick it to Bears head coach Ben Johnson, who took to the podium after the win to talk about one of the craziest football games you’ll ever see.
Ben Johnson’s Opening Statement… “Overall, just really proud of the group and how resilient they were. There’s a number of things that weren’t pretty, that weren’t clean, and yet, what you learn about this group through the first half of the season is that they are an extremely resilient bunch. They show up, and they’re gonna fight you all 60 minutes. They really don’t waver. I give them a lot of credit for their poise.”
I’ve said this in the past, but it’s worth repeating… This is the EXACT kind of game that the Bears made a habit of losing under Matt Eberflus and Matt Nagy. But for whatever reason — and maybe that reason is Ben Johnson, or maybe it’s Caleb Williams, or maybe it’s the right mix of 53 guys — this group does not quit. It might be the most admirable quality of the 2025 Chicago Bears.
Johnson on the chaotic ending to the game… “We were up two touchdowns in the 4th quarter, and they get the onside kick and take the lead. And it’s easy to fold, but our guys didn’t do that. They kept the faith and found a way to come out on top.”
I, however, did not keep the faith. After the Bengals recovered that onside kick, I would’ve bet my life savings that Cincinnati was going to march down the field and score. I had zero doubts, and that’s not just because, ‘Oh, same old Bears.’ No, the defense was getting absolutely torched. I just didn’t think the Bengals were going to score so quick and leave the Bears enough time to answer.
Johnson on his emotional state over the final two minutes of the game… “I try to keep it pretty steady. I just try to keep level-headed in terms of making sure we have enough time for our own rebuttal. So we were using our timeouts, and that’s kinda worst case scenario, but you’re thinking that way and making sure you have a chance. We came back and we needed a field goal with a minute left and a timeout, so we felt pretty good about that scenario. It’s easy to go up and down and ride that roller coaster, but the coaching staff did a pretty good job staying level-headed throughout.”
It’s a good thing my Dad isn’t on the Bears coaching staff, because he did not stay level headed throughout the 4th quarter. Within a two minute span, I got two text messages from him that perfectly captured his emotional state.
“If they don’t get the onside kick, they deserve to lose.”
“No way we are winning this game.”
Apparently Pops didn’t get the memo that these Chicago Bears are built a little bit differently!
Johnson on his defensive concerns… “We knew that those guys on the perimeter (Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins) were really good players. And Flacco, since he’s been here, he’s kind of done this every week. Week in, week out. So I’m not going to make any knee-jerk reactions.”
I’ll go ahead and make a knee-jerk reaction… against the best wide receiver duo in the NFL, you’re bound to give up some big plays, especially when you have no pass rush and are down your two best cornerbacks.
Ben Johnson has a lot to say about the Chicago Bears offense
Johnson on what a reporter deemed an ‘up and down’ performance from Caleb Williams… “Here’s what I know — he threw some touchdowns, didn’t throw any interceptions, and I thought he used his legs to help us extend drives as well. I was pleased with that.”
But sure, let’s call this an up and down performance.
Johnson on Colston Loveland’s 58 yard touchdown reception… “I was hunting one coverage before halftime, and end of the game in the two minute scenarios. Couldn’t get it, couldn’t get it. There was probably three or four calls that I had and just didn’t get it. And finally we got it on that particular play. Caleb did a great job seeing it, delivered a good ball. Figured it was gonna be explosive, wasn’t expecting it to be a touchdown though, and I think that was Colston’s speed, taking off and going for it.”
Thank God Colston Loveland had more speed than I expected, because as he was galloping toward the end zone, I was just waiting for a shoestring tackle to end this game in absolutely tragic fashion.
Johnson on the performance of rookie running back Kyle Monangai… “I’m not surprised. That’s kind who he’s been since he’s been here. He’s very reliable. He’s gonna do what you’re coaching, and he’s hard to bring down. I think that showed up. What he was at Rutgers was the bell-cow for that team, and he proved today he can carry that load if called upon.”
Kyle Monangai runs the football like he’s mad at the ground and even madder at every single defensive player trying to tackle him. It was an inspired performance by a guy who shouldn’t have fallen all the way to the 7th Round of the Draft. And by the way, Monangai’s 176 rushing yards were the second-most rushing yards in a game by a Bears rookie ever, trailing only Anthony ‘A-Train’ Thomas in 2001.
Steelers’ TJ Watt sends message after ‘smashing’ Colts’ run game
Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt knew exactly what won them the game. Minutes after a 27–20 win over the Indianapolis Colts, Watt laid out the blueprint that flipped the game: “It started with smashing the run first and foremost. Playing fast, playing physical football, playing simplified football,” he said in an interview shared by reporter Mike DeFabo on X.
Pittsburgh mauled the trenches, held Indianapolis to 55 rushing yards on 19 attempts, and turned Daniel Jones into a turnover machine. The Steelers forced six takeaways and piled up five sacks
, a throwback brand of chaos that powered 24 unanswered points after trailing 7–0. Jaylen Warren finished the drives with two short touchdowns, while Aaron Rodgers managed the game with 203 yards
and a 12-yard strike to Pat Freiermuth.
The sequence that changed everything looked familiar to Steelers fans. Watt knifed around the edge for a second-quarter strip sack, Alex Highsmith kept the heat on all afternoon, and the secondary feasted. Rookie linebacker Payton Wilson and cornerback Joey Porter Jr. grabbed interceptions as Pittsburgh turned short fields into points and a two-score cushion it never lost.
Numbers back it up. Jonathan Taylor, the league’s leading rusher coming in, managed 45 yards on 14 carries. Jones stacked yards late (342, 1 TD) but coughed up
three interceptions and two lost fumbles under relentless pressure. Pittsburgh’s offense didn’t need style points; it needed mistake-free football and field position. It got both.
If there was a single “turning point,” local radio pegged Watt’s strip sack as the spark that woke up Acrisure Stadium. From there, the Steelers’ rush and coverage tied together, the tackling tightened, and Mike Tomlin’s group closed like a veteran unit.
The message afterward was simple. Pittsburgh cleaned up the run fits, hunted takeaways, and played on its terms. For a defense that took it on the chin the past two weeks, this was a needed course correction and a reminder of the ceiling when No. 90 sets the tempo. Smash the run, speed the game up, and let the ball find you. On Sunday, it did, six times.
