Slow Start of Offense Frustrates Coach Ben Johnson as Bears Top Chiefs in Preseason

The Chicago Bears have been one of the weakest teams in the NFC North in the last ten seasons, with just two postseason appearances.

Slow Start of Offense Frustrates Coach Ben Johnson as Bears Top Chiefs in Preseason

Ben Johnson (Image via Chicago Tribune)

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The Chicago Bears might have upstaged the Kansas City Chiefs in their last preseason game, but that is not enough for their new head coach, Ben Johnson. Johnson, who left the Detroit Lions in the offseason, is known for fast-paced, high-energy plays.

Despite the Friday’s win, the Chicago Bears scrambled to find rhythm early on offense at the GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Before upstaging the Chiefs with late power, the Bears had a 17-point deficit.

The Bears’ offense opened their preseason finale against the Chiefs with two mistake-filled drives that set an early tone of frustration. Across those possessions, the unit gained just 22 yards before punting twice.

Johnson admitted the opening series reflected issues that have lingered throughout training camp.

Offensively, the first two possessions were really sloppy, the kind of mistakes that have plagued us in and out of camp, and unfortunately that’s what showed up tonight.

Ben Johnson said post-game

In the first drive, quarterback Caleb Williams fumbled a jet sweep handoff to wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus on the very first play. It was followed by referees flagging tight end Colston Loveland for a false start. The false start pushed the Bears into a long-yardage scenario that derailed the drive.

The second drive offered a chance to reset, but execution again faltered. Williams held onto the ball for nearly six seconds while facing a favorable second-and-3 near midfield. The delay allowed the Chiefs’ defensive tackle Chris Jones to break through for a drive-killing sack. That mistake flipped a manageable situation into third-and-long, stalling momentum once more.

The head coach believes that these issues were something that had already been worked out. He added that the way they played in the first quarter proved otherwise and noted that this level of play isn’t acceptable, and the team needs to improve quickly.

On the positive side, Johnson acknowledged that reviewing the game tape will help the coaches point out mistakes and correct them. He also expressed hope that this poor showing was just a onetime slip-up and won’t carry over into the regular season.

The Bears secured an unlikely backup deal for a former undrafted QB

The Chicago Bears bolstered their quarterback room by extending Tyson Bagent with one of the most lucrative deals offered to a clear backup option. In most NFL teams, a backup quarterback signing barely registers.

Tyson Bagent
Tyson Bagent (Image via Sky Sports)

The once-undrafted passer out of Shepherd University has landed one of the richest backup contracts in the league, a two-year deal worth $16 million. More than just financial security, it represents a shift in the Bears’ philosophy.

Coach Ben Johnson showered praise on Bagent while speaking to The Athletic. Johnson noted that the backup quarterback did a tremendous job and understands the know-how’s of doing a good job and ultimately getting it done.

His preseason tape supported the faith; Bagent threw for 196 yards and a touchdown against Buffalo, outdueling veteran Case Keenum.

For general manager Ryan Poles, the reasoning was clear. Chicago knows that story all too well after years of quarterback instability; he wants to be prepared. Poles claimed that Bagent provides the Bears an option if the starter goes down or fails to meet the expected standards.

But the move isn’t just about insurance. It’s also a subtle, deliberate message to Caleb Williams, their No. 1 overall pick and presumed franchise savior. The Bears refuse to hand him anything simply because of his draft status. Furthermore, Williams hasn’t been perfect this offseason either. He has had a few faults here, which fans and critics haven’t missed.

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