Anybody who has watched Ben Johnson coach over the past four years knows one thing. He loves trick plays. The Chicago Bears head coach is a master at crafting creative wrinkles to throw at defenses. Sunday in Cincinnati was by far his most exotic of the season. It included a pass from tight end Cole Kmet, a Philly Special from D.J. Moore to Caleb Williams for a touchdown, and then Tyson Bagent throwing a pass to Williams for 20 yards. It was a bonanza, and all were crucial to help win the game.
Johnson revealed that the Kmet play actually stemmed from a moment in practice. Kmet threw a ball about 60 yards. The head coach got excited and immediately started drawing up a play. His only regret is that Cincinnati managed to take away the long option when Kmet got the ball. However, one thing he didn’t expect was the impact that the game would have on the locker room. Johnson admitted that since the trick plays began increasing in volume, every skill position player has started trying to showcase their arm talent in practice.
Ben Johnson has generated an atmosphere of excitement.
You have to remember football is a game. Yes, the NFL is a business and teams are about making money, but it’s still a game. You’re meant to have fun while playing it. Too many coaches lose sight of that. Ben Johnson is not one of them. Trick plays are one of the few opportunities a team has to make games more interesting. It creates an atmosphere of mystery. Nobody knows what is coming. Players love being part of that because there is no greater feeling in the world than when a trick play works.
With somebody like Johnson, there is no limit to whom he might utilize. Everybody is on the table for catching passes, be they receivers, tight ends, running backs, quarterbacks, or offensive linemen. It all depends on what coverages opposing defenses present and which players have good enough arms to throw it. Hence the mad dash among everybody in the locker room to show what they can do.
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