The Chicago Bears are riding high after their 19-17 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, November 16, and head coach Ben Johnson is gaining attention across the NFL for the quick turnaround he’s made with the Bears. Sure, the beginning of the season was rocky, but as the season has progressed, Johnson and the Bears are shutting down the naysayers, and they currently sit at No. 1 in the NFC North.
One of the most important aspects of Johnson’s gig with the Bears is working with and developing quarterback Caleb Williams. After a lackluster rookie season with the team, Johnson is helping Williams become the kind of quarterback that other teams fear. Chicago drafted Williams with their No. 1 overall pick during the 2024 NFL draft, and they expect him to deliver.
Even though there are reports that there are tensions between Johnson and Williams, what matters is that the Bears are winning. Their record is 7-3 for the season, and they’re trending in the right direction to make it to the playoffs. Now, a report from ESPN on the newest coaches in the NFL is pointing the finger at Johnson and Williams in a good way.
ESPN Highlights Chicago Bears’ Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams
Ben Solak of ESPN looks at the new head coaches in the NFL for the 2025-26 season and has a big shout-out for Johnson and Williams. He says that the promise going into the season was “an elite offensive scheme and play calling prowess that unlocks the best of Caleb Williams.” So, how’s the return? He says it’s “exactly that” but “in progress.”
“The Bears are tricky to figure out,” he notes in the piece. “They are 7-3 and have shown tremendous poise for such a young group, especially on offense. Williams has authored five winning drives. He has done it on the road and at home.”
The negative, he points out, is that Chicago has a negative point differential, according to NFL research. They lost to the Detroit Lions, who has a winning record, in a lopsided 52-21 final score. “They’ve also played one other game against a team with a power rating above league average,” he says, noting that it’s the Ravens, “and lost 30-16. ESPN’s Football Power Index currently ranks the Bears 19th; DVOA has them 25th.”
On the upside, and it’s a big upside, Solak says that “Johnson’s commitment to building Chicago’s running game has created an easier environment for passing the football.” That means Williams has enjoyed base defense on 31.7% of his dropbacks, which Solak notes is second most in the league, just behind Lamar Jackson. He also “has run a play-action fake on 32.3%, which is third behind Matthew Stafford and Daniel Jones.”
Where the Chicago Bears Go From Here
Considering that the Bears have the toughest schedule in the NFL for their remaining contests, this could go either way. But, Solak says, “Johnson is everything that was promised, and in short time, Williams will be, too.”
So, for now, the Bears enjoy being No. 1 in the NFC North with a 7-3 record for the season. The Green Bay Packers are No. 2 with a 6-3-1 record and the Detroit Lions are No. 3 at 6-4, with the Minnesota Vikings in the last position. Now, with the challenging schedule ahead, let the fun begin.
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