NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Chicago Bears fell short in the 2026 Divisional Round not only because of the interception by Caleb Williams but also due to the risky go-get-it mentality of Ben Johnson. Yes, he’s a great offensive mind, but sometimes, he’s too smart for his own good.
Over the years, while with the Detroit Lions, Jared Goff and that offense guided by Johnson put up gaudy numbers. However, on the other hand, they put numbers over winning.
For all the slack that QBs like Jalen Hurts, Bo Nix, Drake Maye, Patrick Mahomes, and Lamar Jackson take at the hands of the media for being too conservative with their throws, other QBs play in a system where going big means putting their team and winning at risk.
This is why the Chicago Bears did not advance to the NFC Championship Game. With the game on the line in the closing seconds of the 4th quarter, Williams and Johnson did what they needed to do to tie it up. That heave was called for and needed. But when the Bears needed it the most in OT, a mistake was made by Johnson and Williams.
On 2nd and 10, a play was dialed up. Johnson went to his Lions days and must’ve thought he had Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown in the huddle. Williams went deep with the Los Angeles Rams on their heels and bailed them out. According to Williams, there was a miscommunication between him and Moore, and ther ball was picked off. The Rams would go down the field and score and advance, while the Bears would be wondering what happened.
What happened was bad decisions by the coach and QB. Even if Johnson called a play, Williams still had options. With the Rams leaving the middle of the field open, that was a perfect opportunity for Cole Kmet or Rome Odunze to get some separation and catch a 5-7-yard pass.
That would have left them with a few yards to go in what was 4-down territory. At least they would have had the opportunity to go for it on fourth down. Instead, they went for a big play and a play that was not needed in that situation. This has plagued Johnson before, and it’s the same thing that has plagued the Lions in the past. Johnson brought that mentality to Chicago.
The Chicago Bears had a chance to do something special. Ben Johnson has turned Williams into a household name in one season, but with one throw, many will start to question his awareness again.
The Bears were driving, they had the momentum, they had the crowd, and they had the opportunity; all that was needed was patience. Johnson has a gunslinger mentality, and he has not learned from prior mistakes. With a young QB, he should have been conservative. If they needed to know what a conservative call looks like in a tight game, look no further than what Matthew Stafford did when the Rams got the ball back following the interception.
Runs and short passes. On a crucial throw down, Stafford hit Puka Nacua in the middle of the field. On another critical play, he laid a perfectly thrown ball to Davonta Adams with neither pass traveling over 15 yards in the air. Sean McVay was conservative and got what was needed. Yes, the Rams would take their shots down the field later but at that point, if the ball was intercepted, it would have placed the Bears either at the goal line or the 20. The Rams did what was supposed to be with the game on the line. There was no need to go for the big play. Take what the defense gives you and let your playmakers do the rest. McVay, with his experiece understood that. Ben Johnson has yet to learn.
