Ben Johnson evaluates offense coming out of bye week | Chicago Bears

Ben Johnson evaluates offense coming out of bye week | Chicago Bears

big opponent at hand. This is a good team. They they’re I I think uh when you watch their tape, what stands out is, you know, uh their play style more than anything. And it’s all three phases. You turn on special teams tape, they’re flying around. You turn on defense, they’re physical, and they’re flying around. And then offensively, it’s the same story. And so, uh a lot of credit to coach Quinn, it’s it’s in his image. And uh we’ll have our work cut out for us. So, go ahead and open it up from there. When you went back and looked at everything from the first four weeks, how do you evaluate where the offense is and where Caleb is? Uh, offensively, we’re still a work in progress. Um, some things we’re doing well, some things we’re not. Uh, I think the inconsistent nature with which we’re playing. Um, we’re shooting ourselves in the foot quite a bit and and when I look at uh where we were for the through the first four weeks, a lot of penalties. Um, I want to say we were top five on offense there through four weeks and so we’re playing behind the sticks and and you can certainly feel that as I was calling it. Um, I give the guys a lot of credit. I did feel like we were pretty good at getting back on track as much as we could, but it’s just not sustainable when you’re playing football that way. And so that’s going to be an emphasis for us here going forward. Um, we we’ve got to get the pre- snap penalties under control and and they know that. Um, the running game, uh, you know, I’ve kind of alluded to it over the course of, uh, training camp. It’s going to take a little bit of time for for our guys to all mesh together. And I think that’s what the tape looks like right now. Um, we’re just not hit firing on all cylinders yet. And sometimes it could be the ball carrier not hitting the right spot. Other times it’s just our combinations aren’t clean yet. Um, and and it’s going to take everybody. It’s it’s quarterback, it’s receivers, it’s it’s O line, it’s tight ends to go along with those runners. So, um yeah, it’s a very complex question, but there’s the guys are playing hard. They’re playing for each other. I think we’re we’re doing a good job of um of of getting that kind of squared away and and I think good things will happen the more time we we spend together. In particular, when you look at the four games, it was it the way it felt? I mean, did you have a feeling kind of going into the evaluation? Okay, this is how I feel he’s doing. And did it match that or did anything jump out? Yeah, I mean some some things as as an offense we’re doing better than others. Um, you know, I think drop back pass game right now, which once again that kind of goes in in handinand with the get back on track mentality. He’s doing a good job there of of finding guys and our guys are getting open. They’re being detailed with their route running. But, um, you know, like I said, the running game struggling, the play action game’s not quite where it needs to be off of that. That’s that’s typically where you get a lot of explosives or chunk plays. Um, our screen game leaves a lot to be desired. And so, I’m not I don’t think it’s any one person right now. It’s all of us coming together and getting this thing right. But, uh, you know, I do think that Caleb has grown each and every week. He’s getting more comfortable calling the plays in the offense and and I’m really excited about what the next call it the second quarter of the season is going to look like for him. run with the run game. Is it a matter of just expecting that the guys you have will eventually break through or is there a point where knowing the trade deadlines a couple weeks away that you think maybe we need to upgrade that spot? Our guys are going to be fine. Um I I’ve kind of it’s not it’s not always the runners, it’s it’s everybody. And uh it’s the quarterback carrying out his fake. It’s the receivers blocking down the field. It’s the tight ends doing their job. And the same thing with the offensive line. I think there there’s a lot of times on that tape we’re not giving our runners a chance. So, I think we’re fine there. You obviously weren’t here last year, coach, but from the outside, there’s a conversation about this game being a revenge game or an opportunity to exercise demons from last year. Some of your defensive guys still feel the sting of that last drive in Washington last year. You got the Caleb and Jaden comparison that it’s going to go on. Is that something you just completely push aside and try to get the guys to ignore or is that something you acknowledge, maybe even lean into? Yeah, I mean, you’d have to talk to those guys about it. We’re a new team and we’re just focused on winning this game this week. Are there any players? Are there any IR players that will have their window open today? We’re looking to open up Booker and Homer today. Today. Anything new um offensive linewise that you know your left tackle is going to be? We have a good idea who our left tackle is. Not ready to reveal that to us though. And with your run defense, you indicated last week that there was some things you saw in terms of shedding blocks. What specifically are you seeing that that you’re hoping can get fixed quickly in that regard? it it’s a commitment to the fundamentals and the techniques and so um you know today is more of a bonus day for us. We’re going to get the motor running again coming off the by-week and then and then tomorrow we’re going to be in pads and we’re going to look to to get better in that regard. And it’s it’s both sides of the ball. We got to do a better job blocking. We got to get our pad level lower on offense and then defensively we have to violently shed those blockers. Um our guys are going to know what that looks like. They’ve done it at times. We just haven’t done it at all three levels consistently enough. What have you seen from the commanders? Their run game obviously is very established right now. They’re doing it very well. What have you seen in that regard of what they do to Yeah, I mean they I tell you they they do a phenomenal job. Give uh coach Kingsberry and you know Anthony Lynn, their their run game coordinator a ton of credit. I mean those guys are um there’s something new every week schematically. Uh they put a lot of stress on the defense. the combination of gap schemes with uh you know they’re pulling guards and tackles and then you add in the quarterback run part of it and and it’s a it’s a handful and so you got to be very disciplined. Um you know you got to you got to hold the line of scrimmage with with our front and uh they they’ve I mean there’s a reason why for two years now that they’ve been they’ve been running all over people. So um we got a tall task at hand. What was the level of intrigue for Booker there in preseason before the knee injury? Say it again. What was What was your level of intrigue in Austin Booker? Young guy scratching the surface produces in preseason. Yeah. No, he he’s another guy that uh I thought you felt the pass rush there, particularly in the game setting. Um saw it in practice and the joint practices as well. So, he was a guy that was able to affect the quarterback, you know. Um, that’s and that’s something that we talked about as a unit here today. Uh, points of emphasis, where can we improve? Obviously, it’s the penalties, it’s the run game, but affecting the quarterback. We’re not doing a good enough job of it. And so, that’s really where I saw Booker uh making the biggest impact there in the preseason. So, we we’ll uh we’ll have to see where he is now back on the practice field. What have you seen out of Roma Dun that’s really unlocked him here in these first four weeks? And seems like his his game has really exploded early in the season. Yeah, he he’s a pro. He’s a pro. He comes into the building and he looks to get get after work and uh you know, I think he’s taken to that receiver room. Th those guys really uh all mesh well together. Um you know, it’s it’s the hard work mentality yet, uh you know, I know he’s had some production come his way that that can kind of come in waves, if you will, and he started off hot here. hopefully that’ll continue to to go. But I know he just he’s just a guy that’s committed to winning right now and uh whatever it takes for us as an offense to score points and as a team to to win ball games. And so um I I see him as a as a leader here on this team. The question the question that Herb asked you uh about the history with the Bears and the Commanders, Tyreek is front and center in that conversation. You’ve got a threeseason career for him, but what has your experience been just in the limited time you’ve had together? Yeah, I think Tyreek’s uh gotten better each game. Um he prior to the by-week that was that was his best game against the Raiders to date um that had been a part of and and I think he’s doing a good job of just compartmentalizing everything and and hitting the reset button going into each week and you know I I’ve said it before that those corners they have to have short memories. you know that there’s sometimes, you know, you’re you’re left on an island for 12 plays and no action comes your way and then all of a sudden something comes your way and um you know, if it’s a bad play, you got to be able to erase it and if it’s a good play, same thing. You got to turn on turn on to the next one. And so I think he’s done a nice job uh getting that mental toughness up to the point to where he can block out all that outside noise and and continue to stay consistent with both his process on a weekly basis, but also within a game. What’s he shown you outside of outside of Sundays, you know, intangible things like attentiveness, preparedness, things like that? Yeah, it’s for a young player, I’ve seen it improve. Um, there’s always still work to be done there, but I think Al Harris has done a nice job showing him what it means to be a pro in this league and and he’s taken that to heart. Um, the practice habits continue to improve and uh I really believe that he’s starting to turn the corner for us. When with Azie Trapillo, and I know you you told us that you expect Arnell to come back at some point, how do you evaluate what you’re going to do with his role? Um, just knowing that he’s not a left tackle right now, but you have a starting right tackle and what he can do to still stay active on game day. You’re saying when Darnell comes back, is that is that the question? If it’s this week, if it’s beyond, like, how do you what do you do with Azie? Seems like he could be on man out. Yeah, we we we’ve got some really good tackles. And so that’s that was the beauty of of the vision that Ryan had was bringing in a lot of really talented players and and uh letting them battle out and see who who wins what. And so whether that’s a starting role or whether that’s a backup role um we’ll determine that when when that time comes. Is there a world where Azie plays well, he could win that job? Absolutely. He he’s uh he’s a really good player. Um, I I think he’s really settled in on that right side and uh I’m really looking forward to all those tackles getting healthy and and getting after it

Head coach Ben Johnson addresses the media Tuesday at Halas Hall.

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