Ben Johnson is going to bring creative playcalling to the Chicago Bears, but more than that, he is going to bring a level of culture that they simply missed with Matt Eberflus. When the Bears hired Shane Waldron, something was off going all the way back to around this time last year.
There were questions about accountability, and the team was moving slower in the offseason program than you would expect, considering the urgency of the season. It led to a slow start, player-only meetings, discussions with the coaching staff from team captains, and eventually the dismissal of both Waldron and Eberflus.
It was only one OTA session, but Clay Harbor reported that he saw more intensity in that one setting than in any normal Eberflus practice. Above that, it seemed that there was a purpose to the way the Bears were practicing, and that is a dramatic turnaround from where things were over the last three years.
Chicago Bears players are finally getting the coaching they have been begging for.
Johnson stressed accountability, which is what the team was lacking last season. Johnson has the team thinking more intensely in practice, which should lead to faster play on the field. It appeared to work with the Detroit Lions, who have one of the most intense coaches in the NFL.
As with anything, it is all fluff at this point, though. Bears fans have been there and done that when it comes to coaches, systems, and quarterbacks. They have had hard-nosed coaches, laid-back coaches, defensive wizards, and offensive masterminds.
Johnson seems to be doing everything right for now, but Bears fans know that they need to see it on the field with results in wins. The roster is not in rebuilding mode anymore, so even though Johnson is a first-year coach, they are expected to hit the ground running. That makes sense why Johnson has made things so intense to start.
