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The Uncomfortable Caleb Williams Conversation Has Already Begun

By
Erik Lambert
-
caleb williams
Sep 8, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) rushes the ball against the Minnesota Vikings during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

That Caleb Williams column by Tyler Dunne didn’t paint Caleb Williams in the best light, raising serious concerns about whether the quarterback has the necessary mental faculties to play in the NFL. His opener on Monday night against Minnesota didn’t do anything to quiet those criticisms. After a great first drive of the game, Williams spent most of the remaining four quarters struggling to do anything. While he didn’t take a bevy of sacks like last year, the alarming part was how inaccurate he was.

Williams sailed far too many passes all night, demonstrating a lack of accuracy at all levels. Head coach Ben Johnson gave him some big opportunities throughout the game, but the quarterback just couldn’t hit them. This miss to D.J. Moore in the fourth quarter was one of the most consequential of the game.

These are passes professional quarterbacks should hit 90% of the time. Williams didn’t just miss. It wasn’t even close. It was like that most of the night. Putting up 17 points at home is unacceptable. Williams finished 21-of-35, good for a 60% completion percentage, far below Johnson’s desired 70%.

Caleb Williams looked unsure.

That was the frustrating part. He had months to prepare for that game. He’d already seen much of what Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores does. Johnson is a quality play-caller. Things started beautifully. It was inexcusable for Caleb Williams to regress like that. Conversations have already begun on social media. Fans can’t help but notice many of the same issues that haunted Williams at times last season. They’re starting to wonder if this is something he won’t grow out of.

Nobody disputes his toughness or God-given talent. The core issue is processing speed. Johnson’s offense requires the quarterback to handle lots of information quickly. Williams again seemed overwhelmed at times, resulting in late throws. Now it’s the first game of the season. It is a brand-new offense. Williams will get a grace period, and he should. Still, if these problems persist in October and November, the calls for a change will get louder.

12 Thoughts On The “Same Old Bears'” Loss To The Vikings

By
Dhruv Koul
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CHICAGO — The Chicago Bears officially entered a new era on Monday night. Ben Johnson’s first game as head coach for the Bears was a national spotlight event, as they hosted the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field for a Monday Night Football clash.

The stakes were clear. Johnson was brought in to rectify the direction of the franchise following Matt Eberflus’ rocky collapse. He was also brought in to coach and elevate prized second-year QB Caleb Williams. The architect of one of the league’s best offenses for three years was asked to bring and make his magic in Chicago.

The first game of the era was against a divisional rival with their own QB intrigue. JJ McCarthy — a Chicago kid and childhood Bears fan — made his first career start in his hometown, albeit for another team. For the Vikings, it was also the start of a new era.

Starting off on the right foot would be huge for both teams as they start to write the narratives of their new faces of the franchise.

In the end, the Bears melted down in the second half and never got out of their own way, blowing an awful game in a manner that we’ve seen all too often. Disappointing, sad debut for Ben Johnson.

I shared my in-game reactions, thoughts and observations from the game below. Follow me on X @DhruvKoul to continue the conversation.

Thoughts and Observations

1. (PREGAME) — Hoo boy. No Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, or TJ Edwards in this game. If you wanted a challenge to start the season, you got one. The worst part was the Bears didn’t elevate a DB before the game, which meant there must’ve been optimism that they’d be OK. My guess is the pregame warmups, coupled with the leaked reports of the actual field turf being brutal, led to them to err on the side of caution. Still, the defense came into the game quite handicapped.

2. About as perfect a start as you could want for the Bears. They won the toss and deferred to the second half to put McCarthy in the spotlight right away. And a great pass rush on third down (Dayo Odeyingbo with a great job collapsing the pocket) let Gervon Dexter and Tremaine Edmunds sack McCarthy to end the Vikings’ first drive.

A great punt return set the Bears up at their own 49. And then Caleb Williams drove the Bears methodically down the field — relying on the running backs (D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai) to move the ball. A great third down conversion (total missile from Caleb to Rome Odunze) kept the drive alive. And Williams finished it off with a touchdown run in the red zone to put the Bears up 7-0.

Presnap, things looked good. Pass protection was pretty good. And Caleb took what was the defense gave him and moved down the field. It was a great start.

Not to be outdone – Odeyingbo brought the pressure again on the Vikings’ next third down that led to another sack. Bears’ big ticket free agent acquisition starting off well.

3. Things starting to turn a little bit. Vikings’ defensive front is getting good pressure and penetration – Williams has just erased it so far. But he turned down an open hole shot against a cloud coverage to DJ Moore that eventually led to a punt. Those are the kinds of things he needs to act on with conviction to take the next step. He was looking at it.

Nahshon Wright is going to have to work on getting his head around when in coverage… a gross 42-yard DPI call on an underthrown pickable ball led to an eventual field goal. He’s a backup for a reason. But those are costly plays. He was in coverage on Aaron Jones.

4. Good for Ben Johnson to go for it on 4th and 3 near the red zone. After a run on 3rd and 11 gained eight (which included 2 false starts)… Johnson burned a timeout to go for it. He dialed up and open DJ Moore and Caleb missed him by a mile. Should’ve been a completion and extended drive, and instead was almost picked because it was so far off.

They need to hit these plays as the season goes on.

5. D’Andre Swift has really struggled after a hot start. He’s missed several openings on the LOS and – as a result – the Bears’ running game has suffered. It’s allowed the Vikings’ front to tee off. They need more from this unit in the second half. Maybe Monangai will get some carries to take advantage of his vision.

6. Oh man, that’s not a good ending to the first half. After a field goal put the Bears up 10-3 with :19 left, McCarthy hit a crossing route to Jalen Nailor to set the Vikings up in field goal range. And then Will Reichard hit a 59-yard field goal to make it 10-6, Chicago. Honestly, that throw will probably give McCarthy significant confidence after a rough half, and that’s a momentum buster. A win for the Vikings after the Bears have largely outplayed them.

Chicago needs points on the opening possession of 2H.

<HALFTIME>

7. Well, you’ll take ’em any way you can get ’em! Caleb and the offense had a disaster first drive out of the half — firing 3 incomplete passes (two really bad misses) to punt it away.

After a phantom roughing call gave the Vikings good field position in Bears territory, Nahshon Wright stepped in front of JJ McCarthy’s pass to the sideline, snatched it, and galloped 74 yards to the house. A beautiful game-changing play when they absolutely needed it. Just like Tyrique Stevenson‘s last year against Will Levis.

On the Vikings’ ensuing drive, a sack on McCarthy and a delay of game (thanks to a RAUCOUS crowd) led to another punt. With Chicago up 17-6, a nice drive here would be a great way to support that defense.

(Narrator: they tried… and then failed. At least they flipped the field.)

8. Man, oh man. This game has taken a terrible game for the worse. After what seemed like would be a killshot drive, a phantom hold on Darnell Wright and a bad intentional grounding where Caleb tripped on the turf turned a promising TD drive into a long FG attempt — one that Cairo Santos missed wide right. He’d barely snuck in his other kicks, so that one sailing wasn’t too big of a surprise.

And the Vikings immediately took a short field for a touchdown to make it 17-12, Bears. Just a brutal turn of events.

Caleb hasn’t looked good since the first drive and the Vikings’ offense has now technically outscored the Bears’ offense… not a good sign.

9. Nightmare. Another three and out where Caleb got sacked and almost threw a pick-six on a screen to Andrew van Ginkel, and a huge return set the Vikings up in Bears territory.

And then JJ McCarthy took advantage of a bad DPI call to hit Aaron Jones for a deep touchdown to put MIN up 20-17 after the 2-pointer.

The Bears have truly been hosed on some bad calls tonight. But the offense hasn’t done its part overall, and they’re where they deserve to be.

10. Another implosion on an offensive series and the Bears officially have a Caleb Williams problem. He’s shaky, missing throws, and just overall looking nothing like an upgraded QB we hoped to see.

Lots of penalties, injuries, and work to do. It was worse than anyone imagined, and I don’t know how Caleb and Johnson both are able to sleep this week.

11. I’ll just leave this here:

12. Bears go to a desperate Ford Field next week to take on Ben Johnson’s old team. A very different feel than what most fans were expecting going into this game. Both teams looked bad in Week 1. The winner of this game saves their season. But with how sloppy the Bears looked at home, why will it be better on the road?

Early prediction: Lions 23, Bears 17

People Miss The Real Reason Ben Johnson Was Born To Coach The Bears

By
Erik Lambert
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ben johnson
Aug 22, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson on field against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second half of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images

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.

Cubs Officially Lose Closer

By
Aldo Soto
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Sep 27, 2023; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Daniel Palencia (48) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the tenth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Cubs have placed closer Daniel Palencia on the 15-day injured list with a shoulder injury. The 25-year-old blew Sunday’s save chance against the Washington Nationals and suffered the loss after exiting the ninth inning with an apparent arm injury. It turned out to be a shoulder issue and it’s enough of a concern to shut him down immeditately.

The team has called up Ethan Roberts to take Palencia’s spot in the bullpen as the Cubs prepare to begin a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves.

So, the Cubs will move forward with presumably Brad Keller as the closer. Who knows, though, there’s also the chance Craig Counsell will implement a closer by committee down the stretch.

(Previous Update)

Soooo, the Chicago Cubs don’t have an established closer anymore. Even if this shoulder issue for Daniel Palencia is resolved quickly there’s just no way that Craig Counsell is going to have 100% trust in the hard-throwing pitcher heading into October. Sunday’s blown save against the Washington Nationals was the latest in a long streak of shaky appearances by Palencia and his relief outing culminated in the 25-year-old pitcher leaving with an injury.

Palencia has been excellent for most of the 2025 season, posting a 1.36 ERA through Aug. 1, when he recorded his 15th save of the year. Two days later Palencia blew a save, but Justin Turner hit a walk-off homer to take the heat off the Cubs’ closer. Yet, that seemed like the start of Palencia’s downhill trend as the opposition began to crush him in August.

From April 23 through Aug. 1, Palencia only gave up a total of four earned runs in 35 innings of work and that stretch included the righty only allowing one home run across 35 appearances. From Aug. 3 through Sept. 7, Palencia has given up 11 earned runs in 11.1 innings, surrendering three home runs in 14 games. During those 14 outings Palencia blew two save opportunities and suffered four losses.

And now the Cubs’ closer is dealing with a shoulder injury.

Following the 6-3 loss to the Nationals that also effectively ended any hopes of the Cubs catching the Milwaukee Brewers in the division Craig Counsell shared overall positive news? You certainly don’t want Palencia to have a serious injury and for now it appears as though he’s escaped that disaster.

However, there’s obviously something up with Palencia and whether it’s minor or major, there’s an issue hindering him on the mound.

So, now the question for the immediate future is who will be the closer? Well, the clear answer may be Brad Keller.

The 30-year-old converted reliever has been awesome this year and you can argue that he’s been as important or more important out of the bullpen than Palencia so far in 2025. Keller has 23 holds and a save, while logging a team-high 60 relief appearances to go along with the most innings out of the bullpen at 62.1 IP.

Keller has a 2.17 ERA overall and has been unbelievable since the All-Star break. Keller has not allowed an earned run in 20.1 consecutive innings, while posting a strikeout to walk ratio of 25/6 with a ground ball rate of 51.3%. Keller’s allowed 15 earned runs all year and nine of them came in two games. He’s been as good as anyone else in MLB this year.

Back to Palencia. His decline and incoming absence will put more pressure on Keller, Caleb Thielbar and others in the bullpen. But who knows, maybe it also opens the door for Porter Hodge to retain his role as a high-leverage reliever. Hodge has dealt with injuries this season, but after working things out at Triple-A in August, Hodge has looked great in his return to the Cubs bullpen.

We’ll see if the Cubs shut down Palencia for longer than a few days, but regardless of his status Counsell has to find a way to push the right buttons in the bullpen now that he doesn’t have an established closer.

Shocker, Cubs Screwed the Pooch Again

By
Aldo Soto
-
Apr 18, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker (30) hits a two-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the eighth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Kyle Tucker last played against the Atlanta Braves on Sept. 2, and in the least shocking development coming from the Chicago Cubs the team appears to have screwed the pooch again. Mismanaging an injured player? Yup, we’re talking about the Cubs.

Tucker exited last Tuesday’s game prior to the seventh inning because of calf tightness. After that game Craig Counsell said Tucker wouldn’t play the next game, hoping that two days of rest (Thursday was an off day) would give the right fielder enough time to recover. Tucker was absent from the starting lineup on Friday. Then, he wasn’t in there again on Saturday, but surely he’d be playing Sunday? Nope.

During that entire time it made sense to put Tucker on the injured list, call up a player from Triple-A and move on. But no, it can’t ever be that easy. The Cubs are now set to begin a three-game series against the Braves in Atlanta on Monday and Tucker still isn’t ready to play.

Apparently Moises Ballesteros was in Atlanta on Sunday night, so maybe now the Cubs will place Tucker on the injured list?

Monday night’s game is only a few hours away and the team still hasn’t made an announcement on it, so it looks like they’re delaying that decision even more. Good job, Cubs.

(Previous Update)

Before the Chicago Cubs they’ll have to decide how much longer they want to keep the right fielder on the active roster. It’s been a turbulent second-half for the All-Star, but in recent weeks Tucker was finally looking like himself again at the plate, following his mental reset. Now, there’s a different problem the Cubs are facing with Tucker.

Earlier this week Tucker was removed from a game against the Atlanta Braves at Wrigley Field and it turned out to be a calf issue. The team initially categorized the cause of Tucker’s early exit during Tuesday night’s game as calf tightness that also sidelined Tucker on Wednesday. The Cubs were hoping that Thursday’s off day would give Tucker enough time to recover, but the left-handed hitter was once again absent from Friday’s starting lineup.

You always hate to see this kind of manager speak on a player who is dealing with something physical.

Via Marquee Sports Network.

“He’s improved, for sure, and I think we’d like to give him the day to just move around,” Counsell said on Friday morning before the Cubs’ series opener against the Washington Nationals. “Really, we want to get him symptom-free.”

“Wednesday was a good day in terms of how he came into the park and felt on Wednesday,” Counsell said. “I think he was very encouraged, and we were encouraged that he felt if he had to absolutely play on Wednesday, he probably could have.

“But we’re going to give him a day to do a little more running around today, and then just see where we’re at. But I’m pretty optimistic that we should get him in the lineup by the weekend.”

I mean, all right. Tucker could reasonably return to the lineup this weekend, but it sounds like that would only be as the designated hitter, which again is perfectly fine. Yet, it kinda makes you think back to all the times the Cubs haven’t placed a player on the injured list when said player then proceeds to miss a bunch of games anyway.

Tucker himself probably would have benefited from a stint on the injured list back in July or early August, when he was struggling mightily after he was playing through a broken finger.

This calf issue comes at both a bad and good time. Obviously any injury late in September, leading up to the playoffs or during the postseason would be less ideal, but it’s also a shame that Tucker is being forced to miss games right when he was crushing the ball again. He was given a couple days to reset back in August and after his first game back Tucker has been a beast at the plate. In Tucker’s last 11 games he’s gone 16-for-40, with four home runs and four doubles, slashing .400/.489/.800, in 47 plate appearances.

Fingers crossed that this calf issue goes away quickly or that the Cubs actually give Tucker time to completely get over the injury.

A Tragic Development Surfacing in Cubs Bullpen

By
Aldo Soto
-

Soooo, the Chicago Cubs don’t have an established closer anymore. Even if this shoulder issue for Daniel Palencia is resolved quickly there’s just no way that Craig Counsell is going to have 100% trust in the hard-throwing pitcher heading into October. Sunday’s blown save against the Washington Nationals was the latest in a long streak of shaky appearances by Palencia and his relief outing culminated in the 25-year-old pitcher leaving with an injury.

Palencia has been excellent for most of the 2025 season, posting a 1.36 ERA through Aug. 1, when he recorded his 15th save of the year. Two days later Palencia blew a save, but Justin Turner hit a walk-off homer to take the heat off the Cubs’ closer. Yet, that seemed like the start of Palencia’s downhill trend as the opposition began to crush him in August.

From April 23 through Aug. 1, Palencia only gave up a total of four earned runs in 35 innings of work and that stretch included the righty only allowing one home run across 35 appearances. From Aug. 3 through Sept. 7, Palencia has given up 11 earned runs in 11.1 innings, surrendering three home runs in 14 games. During those 14 outings Palencia blew two save opportunities and suffered four losses.

And now the Cubs’ closer is dealing with a shoulder injury.

Following the 6-3 loss to the Nationals that also effectively ended any hopes of the Cubs catching the Milwaukee Brewers in the division Craig Counsell shared overall positive news? You certainly don’t want Palencia to have a serious injury and for now it appears as though he’s escaped that disaster.

However, there’s obviously something up with Palencia and whether it’s minor or major, there’s an issue hindering him on the mound.

So, now the question for the immediate future is who will be the closer? Well, the clear answer may be Brad Keller.

The 30-year-old converted reliever has been awesome this year and you can argue that he’s been as important or more important out of the bullpen than Palencia so far in 2025. Keller has 23 holds and a save, while logging a team-high 60 relief appearances to go along with the most innings out of the bullpen at 62.1 IP.

Keller has a 2.17 ERA overall and has been unbelievable since the All-Star break. Keller has not allowed an earned run in 20.1 consecutive innings, while posting a strikeout to walk ratio of 25/6 with a ground ball rate of 51.3%. Keller’s allowed 15 earned runs all year and nine of them came in two games. He’s been as good as anyone else in MLB this year.

Back to Palencia. His decline and incoming absence will put more pressure on Keller, Caleb Thielbar and others in the bullpen. But who knows, maybe it also opens the door for Porter Hodge to retain his role as a high-leverage reliever. Hodge has dealt with injuries this season, but after working things out at Triple-A in August, Hodge has looked great in his return to the Cubs bullpen.

We’ll see if the Cubs shut down Palencia for longer than a few days, but regardless of his status Counsell has to find a way to push the right buttons in the bullpen now that he doesn’t have an established closer.

Adam Schefter All But Confirms Bears Nightmare Scenario

By
Erik Lambert
-
dennis allen

The Chicago Bears need all the help they can get to win their home opener. They’ve struggled to beat the Minnesota Vikings for years, often suffering from mismatches at head coach, quarterback, or both. For the first time, it feels like the two teams might be on equal footing. Caleb Williams and J.J. McCarthy are both 1st round picks. Kevin O’Connell and Ben Johnson are both premier offensive play callers. The Bears also have the advantage of home-field. The only thing they needed was to reach kickoff healthy. Adam Schefter didn’t help with those hopes.

Nothing is ever simple with this team. Injuries have hit the defense hard in recent weeks. Linebacker T.J. Edwards is already out with a hamstring problem. Now the secondary is in deep trouble. Jaylon Johnson only just returned from a groin injury that kept him out of training camp, leaving his status uncertain. Worse still, nickel corner Kyler Gordon popped up with a hamstring problem of his own a couple of days ago. Schefter appeared on The Pat McAfee Show, where he didn’t sound optimistic that either player would suit up.

Adam Schefter isn’t prone to giving inaccurate info.

If he says both players are long shots, it’s a safe bet neither plays. That puts the Bears in a highly compromising position. Being down your two best cornerbacks against an offense that features Justin Jefferson is not ideal. Minnesota also brought back the ever-reliable Adam Thielen via trade. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen prefers playing aggressive man coverage, enabling him to attack the line of scrimmage. For that to work, you need quality cornerbacks. With Johnson and Gordon out, the Bears are looking at Nahshon Wright and Josh Blackwell as potential replacements. Asking them to play man against that receiving corps is dangerous. Either Allen must adjust his plans, or the Bears might need to prepare to score points to win. Hopefully, Adam Schefter is wrong.

Date Revealed For When Chicago Bears Plan To Start Building Stadium

By
Erik Lambert
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kevin warren
Nov 3, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Chicago Bears president and ceo Kevin Warren against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Chicago Bears started their odyssey towards a new stadium in 2022. Since then, they have traveled anything but a straight course. The arrival of new team president Kevin Warren saw a shift in the project’s direction. He hoped to convince the state government to help finance a new downtown stadium, keeping the Bears in Chicago. After two years of no progress, it became clear they were wasting their time. Thus, Warren and the McCaskey family moved ahead with the original plans for an Arlington Heights complex.

Almost every hurdle has been cleared. They have most of the financing they need, and the property tax issue was resolved. The only thing left is getting the green light from Springfield, which requires legislation. Unfortunately, they missed the primary window this spring. Warren remains hopeful that the legislature’s reconvening in October will get the result they want. According to Robert McCoppin of the Chicago Tribune, that is unlikely. However, expectations are that an announcement is coming from the Bears, intending to reveal their plans for the Arlington site, with the belief that they will start building in the spring.

That would mean being ready for the opener in 2030.

The Chicago Bears are expected to publicly present their latest plans for a new stadium in Arlington Heights this fall, officials said, with the hope of breaking ground by spring.

Bears President Kevin Warren and other officials are meeting regularly to refine their plan with Arlington Heights village officials. Sometime in September, October or November, the team will make a public presentation and answer questions about the 326-acre site, according to Arlington Heights Mayor Jim Tinaglia. Then the village planning, design and housing commissions will review the proposal before it goes to a Village Board vote. The whole process could take a few months…

…The Bears have said they will finance the new stadium themselves, but the deal still hinges on state lawmakers allowing the team to negotiate its property taxes. With other pressing matters to consider, legislators are a long shot to act in the brief veto session in October, and are more likely to consider the issue in the spring.

It felt like, as early as January, that there wasn’t enough momentum to even get a meeting with Governor J.B. Pritzker about the issue. By the time Warren realized it wasn’t happening, he’d missed the spring window. That was when the Chicago Bears made a clear pivot away from downtown and back to Arlington Heights. While this always felt like the likeliest direction things would go, the hesitation probably ended any hope of getting shovels in the ground this year. Still, the fact that the Bears will reveal their plans in the next month or so suggests they are reasonably confident they will get a resolution by next spring. One construction begins, it’s expected to take three years to complete. That would make the 2030 home opener the target. It will mark the first time in the city’s history that any of its outdoor sports teams have moved to a dome.

5 Bears Who Could Break the Vikings on MNF

By
Ficky
-
Aug 22, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) warms up during the first half against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Welcome to Week 1, baby. It’s Monday Night Football in Chicago — the lights are bright, the beer is cold, and Soldier Field is ready to rumble. This isn’t just the start of a new season; it’s the launchpad for what could finally be the Bears climbing out of football hell. Ben Johnson isn’t here to babysit a rebuild — he’s here to blow the damn doors off.

And tonight? Tonight’s got everything: new faces, old grudges, and a division rival walking into our house. Injuries have shuffled the deck, but that just means more chaos, more chances for someone to steal the spotlight. So who’s gonna make noise under the primetime lights?

Let’s talk about five Bears who could flip this game on its head.

1. Caleb Williams – Quarterback

Why He’s Critical: All eyes are on the golden-armed kid from USC. Last year? Rough. But now he’s got a real playcaller in Ben Johnson, and the leash is off. The Bears want Caleb to be that guy — the first QB in franchise history to crack 4,000 passing yards. Johnson even put it on the table: hit 70% completions or don’t bother talking Pro Bowl. That’s a hell of a bar for a guy who hit just 62.5% last year and was buried near the bottom of the league.

What to Watch: The Vikings’ defense, led by coordinator Brian Flores, will test Williams with exotic blitz packages and disguised coverages. However, Minnesota’s secondary has vulnerabilities, especially with Harrison Smith ruled out due to illness. Johnson has praised Williams’ ability to improvise and make plays outside of structure, suggesting we’ll see more creative packages beyond the vanilla preseason offense. Williams’ chemistry with his receiving corps and his ability to handle pressure situations will set the tone for the entire season.

2. Rome Odunze – Wide Receiver

Why He’s Critical: Odunze isn’t flying under the radar anymore. The dude’s about to blow up. After a solid rookie year — 54 grabs, 734 yards — he’s walking into 2025 with that WR1 swagger. He’s got the trust of Caleb Williams, he’s turning heads in camp, and with Keenan Allen gone, the top spot is there for the taking. If you don’t think Odunze can hit 1,000 yards, you haven’t been paying attention. This guy isn’t just running routes — he’s about to run this offense.

What to Watch: The Vikings are without Harrison Smith, which helps, but don’t think for a second they won’t throw some heat his way. Odunze’s going to have to earn every inch — especially on third downs and inside the red zone. But here’s the kicker: if he and Caleb are locked in like they’ve been in practice, this could be the start of something scary. The Bears finally have a real QB-WR combo… and it starts tonight.

3. Montez Sweat – Defensive End

Why He’s Critical: Alright, it’s time for Montez Sweat to cash that damn check. The guy got paid like a game-wrecker last year and delivered… 5.5 sacks and a handful of “almosts.” Injuries or not, that ain’t good enough. Now with the spotlight squarely on him and no legit edge threat on the other side, teams are gonna double him until he gives them a reason not to. But here’s the thing: he has to be that dude. The secondary’s duct-taped together right now — if the pass rush doesn’t show up, McCarthy might start looking like Marino out there.

What to Watch: Rookie QB, first NFL start, primetime crowd losing its mind — Sweat has to feast. Grady Jarrett‘s presence should stop teams from clogging Sweat’s lane with extra bodies every snap, so there are no excuses now. I want to see him flying off the edge like his hair’s on fire, getting hands on McCarthy, wrecking drives, and reminding everyone why the Bears threw the bag at him. He doesn’t need ten sacks tonight. He just needs to show he can wreck a damn game. This is the night to prove it.

4. D’Andre Swift – Running Back

Why He’s Critical: D’Andre Swift is back with his old play-calling wizard, and if there’s ever been a time to cook, it’s now. Swift was electric under Ben Johnson in Detroit — now he gets to do it again in a system that actually knows how to use him. No more three-carry disappearances. No more wondering why your best back is on the bench. Swift’s got the RB1 keys, and with the backups banged up, he’s gonna be the engine. The Vikings are tough against the run — 4th best in YPC last year — but that’s the kind of challenge Swift needs to shut people up.

What to Watch: Don’t expect a 25-carry grindfest. Johnson knows the real magic comes when Swift gets the ball in space. Expect wheel routes, swing passes, screens — anything to get this dude moving before defenders even see him coming. If Swift’s ripping chunk plays and forcing safeties to creep up, that opens the whole damn playbook for Caleb. He’s not just a running back in this game — he’s the fuse that could blow Minnesota’s defense wide open.

5. Gervon Dexter – Defensive Tackle

Why He’s Critical: If you’ve been sleeping on Gervon Dexter, wake the hell up. This dude is about to go nuclear. After flashing big-time in year two — five sacks, nearly 40 pressures — he’s now got Grady Jarrett lining up next to him, which means teams won’t be able to triple-team him like he’s Aaron Donald anymore. Dexter’s stronger, meaner, and finally in a system that lets him attack instead of read and react. He’s only 23 and already looks like a damn tank. If there’s a breakout brewing on this defense, it starts right here.

What to Watch: The Vikings threw money and draft picks at their interior line trying to fix the mess that got steamrolled last year. New starters across the board, including a rookie at guard and a center who’s already bounced around — that smells like opportunity. This is Dexter’s chance to blow up the middle of their line before it gels. If he’s tossing linemen like lawn chairs and crashing the pocket, J.J. McCarthy won’t have time to blink, let alone throw. This isn’t just about pressure — it’s about chaos. And Dexter? He’s built for it.

Final Verdict

This ain’t just Week 1 — it’s a line-in-the-sand moment. The Bears finally have a modern offense, a QB with legit talent, and a head coach who isn’t allergic to touchdowns. The expectations aren’t just higher — they’re real. This fanbase is tired of moral victories and “next year” talk. It’s time to win now.

Minnesota’s limping in without Harrison Smith. The Bears are banged up too. But no one gives a damn about excuses under the Monday Night lights. Both teams have new QBs, both are trying to take control of a division that’s been up for grabs ever since Aaron Rodgers dipped. This is the moment to announce who’s coming for the NFC North crown.

If Caleb shows poise, if Sweat and Dexter wreck the pocket, if Swift slices up that front seven, and if Odunze balls out like we know he can — the Bears walk away 1-0, and the Ben Johnson era starts with a bang. Let’s see if they’ve got the stones to do it.

Ex-Bears Coach And Friend Of Ben Johnson Can’t Believe He Took The Job

By
Erik Lambert
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ben johnson
Aug 10, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson on the sidelines against the Miami Dolphins during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

Ben Johnson was the belle of the ball for the last two years on the NFL head coaching circuit. He’d transformed the Detroit Lions into an offensive juggernaut and Super Bowl contender. Young wizards like him are in the highest demand by other organizations. The Chicago Bears were one of several teams pining for his services. However, almost everybody believed there was no way Johnson would take it. The Bears have a long history of issues inside Halas Hall. There never seems to be any proper leadership or sense of direction. Did Johnson really want to step into that quagmire?

Well, he did. Swayed by the presence of Caleb Williams and his love for the city, the coach decided to be the latest to attempt to pull the Bears out of the mud. Tyler Dunne of Go Long contacted a former Bears coach who is friends with Johnson to ascertain his chances. The answer was beyond telling.

One hundred percent of the people Go Long chatted with for this series sing the praises of Johnson. One ex-Bears coach who’s known Johnson for years says that if any one coach can resuscitate this slumping organization, it’s Johnson. “A gem,” he calls him. X’s and O’s are one thing, but he sees value in Johnson witnessing firsthand how a team flounders (with Adam Gase in Miami) and flourishes (with Campbell in Detroit). “That rubs off on you,” he says, “and only adds to his arsenal.” One former Bears exec believes the bold Johnson will read through any and all bureaucratic nonsense weighing these Bears down.

You need a certain type of personality to handle a building filled with people who are more worried about losing their jobs than about winning. Johnson has no time or patience for any of that. Either help him or get the hell out of the way.

Ben Johnson wouldn’t be the first to do this.

People forget the Bears have a long history of this sort of thing. They interrupt periods of great success with long lulls of middling or bad. They were an afterthought for most of the 1960s and all of the 1970s. It wasn’t until Mike Ditka arrived with his uncompromising personality and drive that the team snapped out of its slump. Things regressed again in the 1990s and persisted through the early 2000s before Lovie Smith arrived. It feels like the Bears function best when they have a no-nonsense guy at head coach. Ditka and Smith were both like that, if wildly different in temperament.

That sums up Ben Johnson pretty well. He is so obsessed with details that he is completely immovable. If a player doesn’t do the right thing, he’ll make them do it again and again until that changes. If they still can’t, he finds somebody who will. Rest assured, just like Ditka and Smith, Johnson has no interest or time for politics. He is ready to lead. All the Bears have to do is let him.

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