It was the type of loss that can kill entire seasons. The Chicago Bears were already smarting from their week one collapse against the Minnesota Vikings, where they coughed up a 17-6 lead in the 4th quarter. It was hoped they’d be able to right the ship against the Detroit Lions in week two. Instead, they got bodyslammed in a way the organization hasn’t experienced since 2014, losing 52-21. It was a humiliating experience, leaving many fans feeling even worse about the team’s direction than they had before. How can it still look this bad in year four of a rebuild? Head coach Ben Johnson must’ve wondered what he’d gotten himself into.
In truth, that was not the case at all. If there is one thing Johnson understood about the NFL, it’s a week-to-week league. No one loss, devastating though it was, should decide the fate of a season. He had to convey this message to the players, reminding them that if they want to win games, they need to start showing it in practice. For the first time, the Bears released an in-season episode of 1920 Football Drive. In it, certain veteran players revealed how Johnson managed to rally the team from such a disaster to save the season.
Ben Johnson never wavered in his approach.
The last thing you want to do after a tough loss is change everything. Players aren’t stupid. They know a coach doesn’t have the capacity to handle adversity if he’s having knee-jerk reactions. Consistency in approach is crucial for establishing a mindset. Ben Johnson appears to have stayed the course, reminding guys that focusing on the big picture won’t help them. The goal should be to work hard to clean up the mistakes and worry only about one thing.
Winning the next game.
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Chicago responded with their best performance of the season, routing the Dallas Cowboys 31-14 at Soldier Field to avoid an 0-3 hole. Johnson famously delivered his “Good, Better, Best” speech in the post-game locker room, hammering home the message about constantly looking to improve. The Bears followed his lead into Las Vegas, where they overcame a 24-19 deficit in the fourth quarter to escape with a 25-24 win.
Johnson passed his first critical test by preventing the team from spiraling. He has their respect. Now he must build it into belief.
