The Chicago Bears hope to kickstart a new era of success under coach Ben Johnson after three straight losing seasons under Matt Eberflus.
The former Detroit Lions (0-1) offensive coordinator didn’t get off to a great start as the Bears (0-1) lost to the Minnesota Vikings in their opener after a late comeback.
Johnson will look to earn head coaching victory No. 1 by returning to Ford Field for a matchup with the Lions and his longtime friend and collaborator, coach Dan Campbell.
Here’s a preview of the Lions’ second NFC North foe this season, run by a familiar face:
Three players to know
---------------------
* One game into his Bears tenure and cornerback Nahshon Wright is already looking like a big playmaker for Chicago. His highlight in Week 1 came with a 74-yard pick six of Minnesota’s J.J. McCarthy, but the former Vikings practice squad player was just solid throughout the game. The only blunder for Wright came on a 28-yard pickup for Jalen Nailor just ahead of halftime.
* While there are a lot of questions about Chicago’s new-look O-line after Week 1, Darnell Wright at right tackle is not one of them. The third-year player out of Tennessee was the only Bears lineman not to allow a quarterback pressure and his 86.0 pass-blocking grade by Pro Football Focus was the highest of his career.
* Third-year linebacker Noah Sewell looks poised to take on a much larger role with the Bears defense this season and proved that with a career-high nine tackles against the Vikings. Yes, Noah is the brother of Lions O-lineman Penei Sewell, so there will be some family vs. family to watch out for on Sunday.
Quarterback corner
------------------
If you only watched the first drive of Monday night’s game, Caleb Williams looked like a new man. But after scoring a touchdown out of the gate, the former No. 1 overall pick and the Chicago offense really struggled to move the ball consistently and finish drives with points.
Williams would finish 21-of-35 passing for 210 yards and a touchdown. He did show off some great scrambling ability, adding 58 yards and another touchdown on the ground.
But his throws were erratic throughout the night as he finished last in the NFL for off-target throwing rate (28.6%) in Week 1, according to Fantasy Points Data.
Keys to success
---------------
* **Get the run game going:** The Bears didn’t go to the run game much early on in Week 1 and it really bit them as the Vikings were able to easily commit more players into the secondary to slow down their passing attack. Minnesota loaded the box against Bears lead running back D’Andre Swift on less than 6% of his rushes, one of the lowest marks in the NFL last week, and Chicago was still unable to generate consistently. A bigger investment in the ground game could help the Bears put away a close game unlike in Week 1.
* **Cut down on penalties:** Teams are always harping on playing disciplined football. The Bears might need that more than just about anyone after racking up 12 penalties — third-highest in Week 1 — for 127 yards in their first game. What really stood out was Chicago committing five procedural penalties. Johnson said postgame that he wants the penalties fixed quickly if the Bears are hoping to start winning games.
One big question
----------------
Who has the advantage in the first-ever meeting between Dan Campbell and Ben Johnson as head coaches?
Campbell and Johnson are good friends that have spent a large portion of their respective careers on the same sideline.
That can come with its advantages as both know a lot about the other’s thinking. Both coaches like to get aggressive with play calling and hold a strong belief in relying on a balanced attack that keeps a defense on its heels.
“I think we’re on equal playing ground really,” Campbell said earlier this week. “I think it’s the same thing. He knows what we’re about, we know what he’s about and because of that you’re going to play that game a little bit.”
Campbell certainly comes with more head coaching experience and undeniably has the stronger roster in his fifth season helming an organization to Johnson in his first.
But the Lions know well how unique and impressive Johnson’s offensive scheming can be.
Truth be told, it was the Chicago offense that sputtered a bit more in Week 1 than the defense. Johnson also made a questionable call on special teams in the final minutes of the game that cost them vital time to mount a comeback.
If his developing offense can make more plays, it would be foolish to count out a coach who has had lots of success at Ford Field with a team that played better football than their opponent for three quarters in Week 1.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our [User Agreement](https://www.advancelocal.com/advancelocalUserAgreement/user-agreement.html) and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our [Privacy Policy.](https://www.advancelocal.com/advancelocalUserAgreement/privacy-policy.html)