When a team loses their opening game, a pall sets over the fanbase. “Will they ever,” the throngs moan, “will they ever win a football game?” With the amount of anticipation many felt heading into this season, the season opener was a massive letdown for Bears fans. Will they recover in Detroit? Three final thoughts:
(1) There is not much to statistically evaluate when both teams have only played one football game. But there is NO QUESTION that Dan Campbell will look at the Detroit run game performance against the Packers and make it his focus this week in practice. The Lions, with or without Ben Johnson, are going nowhere in 2025 if the offense is reliant upon Jared Goff throwing 40+ passes a game. Expect a healthy dose of Gibbs and Montgomery, whether they’re finding success or not.
(2) When I asked folks inside the building about Montez Sweat’s terrible 2024 season, I heard a lot of excuses. Those same people were telling me, up until a week ago, they expected big things from Sweat this season. If those big things don’t come in the form of a double-digit sack season, how can this defense be expected to hold up against any opponent? Sweat was somewhat invisible on the edge against Minnesota. He can’t be the same in Detroit.
(3) Ben Johnson brought promise to Chicago, but a lot of fans looked at Monday Night Football and said, “this looks oddly the same as every other Bears team.” Can Johnson cut down the pre-snap penalties? Can he get the quarterback playing in rhythm? Can he find something in the running game? While the rest of the football fan/media landscape has been fixated on the quarterback, my gaze is thrust squarely upon the sideline.
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Prediction: Detroit Lions 24, Chicago Bears 20. (But I’m ready to be surprised.)
