The Chicago Bears are standing tall after their 19-17 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, November 16, on the road, but that doesn’t mean head coach Ben Johnson thinks the team is where they need to be yet. Sure, the Bears were able to hold off a late rally from the Vikings and come back with a field goal at the buzzer for a win, but Johnson doesn’t want things to be so close next time.
“It was very reminiscent of the first game where we ended up having a lead and then allowed it to get interesting there,” Johnson said after the win. “We felt like we didn’t make enough plays there in the first game to earn that victory, and this one we did. I do feel like that shows growth as a football team.”
So, the win shows their growth on the field, but there still may be some tension inside the Chicago Bears’ camp, according to a Bears insider. This is Johnson’s first year with the team, so it makes sense that there will be some hiccups as he gets his footing with a team that’s worked under other coaches. But, if this gritty win over the Vikings shows anything, it shows that Johnson is making strides early on in his NFL head coaching career.
NFL Insider Thinks There Are Tensions Between Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams
Even though the Bears are riding high and No. 1 in the NFC North after their win over the Vikings, some in the NFL are still questioning if Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams are working well together. In a Monday, November 17, piece for The Athletic, Mike Sando discusses his conversation with an opposing defensive coach who implied that Williams’ style of playing doesn’t work well with Johnson’s style of coaching. That defensive coach also suggested that Johnson is still looking to mold and develop the signal-caller.
In Sando’s report, he says the defensive coach stated, “To be honest with you, I think Ben is frustrated with him. Caleb doesn’t play on time and doesn’t do the things that allow that offense to get to the next level that Ben is used to.”
The coach adds, “Ben was able to scheme up max-protection things for Jared (Goff) in Detroit and run guys open. This guy can’t do that, so now it is all (off-schedule) ball, which is uncontrollable for a coach.”
So, is there trouble in football paradise between Johnson and Williams? Maybe. But, that really doesn’t matter if the Bears keep winning. Besides, Williams is performing much better than he did during the 2024-25 season, and he’s already showing the growth that Chicago needs.
Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings’ Thrilling Game
The Chicago Bears’ win over the Vikings was too close for comfort, but it sure made for exciting football. Windy City led 16-3 going into the fourth quarter of the game, but Minnesota rallied for two late touchdowns to give the Vikings a 17-16 lead with less than a minute left on the clock. But, it wasn’t anything the Bears couldn’t handle. Kicker Cairo Santos kicked a 48-yard field goal to give the Bears a small but definitive 19-17 win over the Vikings.
Now, the Bears are No. 1 team 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 spot.
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