In the ongoing debate about why the Chicago Bears haven’t found their next good head coach for years, they haven’t bothered to ask an important question. What do the most successful coaches in franchise history have in common? It starts with George Halas, then moves to Mike Ditka in the 1980s, and again to Lovie Smith in the 2000s. Those are the three names that stand out. All were tough, no-nonsense guys who held players to a high standard. However, they also embraced the organization’s true strength during their tenures: they wanted to run the ball. That is what people keep missing with Ben Johnson.
Yes, the quarterback is the most important player on the field. Nobody can dispute that. The fact is, Halas, Ditka, and Smith understood it too. Halas drafted multiple 1st round quarterbacks back when it wasn’t really a big thing yet. Ditka’s first draft pick was Jim McMahon in 1982. Smith signed off on the blockbuster trade for Jay Cutler. You need a quarterback to win, but the essence of football, or more specifically Bears football, has always been the ground attack. Johnson has been telling us that without anyone actually hearing. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune shared the coach’s thoughts.
“I’ve got an affinity more so for the run game than what people might realize,” Johnson said. “I spend more time and I dabble in that maybe more than I do the passing game. The passing game to me? I won’t even get into that.
“There’s nothing more beautiful to me than seeing 11 guys execute a wide zone play the way that we’re coaching it. Even if it’s just a 10-, 12-yard gain, to see it come to life like that — techniques, fundamentals.”
Ben Johnson was built for Chicago.
Understand that loving the run game doesn’t mean he’s stuck in the past. Most agree Ben Johnson has created the perfect marriage of old-school football and new-age creativity. It is what makes his system a nightmare to defend. Running the ball well sets up play action, and there is no greater asset for a young quarterback than play-action fakes. More than anything else, it creates large enough creases in coverage to attack. The Bears stubbornly didn’t use it much last season, putting more pressure on Caleb Williams. Meanwhile, Johnson had more play-action calls than any coach in the NFL.
The goal never should’ve been to abandon the running game. It was always about modernizing it to make life easier for the quarterback. Johnson understands that better than most. He was born to coach in this city, and his brand of football fits its identity like no other.
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