Ben Johnson on Week 6 win over Washington Commanders | Chicago Bears

Ben Johnson on Week 6 win over Washington Commanders | Chicago Bears

It was a really good team win here. That’s a that’s a really good opponent that we went against in a very hostile environment and uh I thought all three phases came through for us when when needed. So um you know it was not our cleanest game. We we made a number of mistakes and uh penalties were an issue but uh once again our our team was resilient and they found a way to win. So very proud of them. I thought um defensively the takeaways were huge for us. Obviously, I thought uh Dennis Allen, I thought the defensive staff did a phenomenal job coming up with a with a sound game plan. That’s a very difficult offense to to try to have answers for and yet uh they they were able to to come up with something that we felt good about and then the guys went out and executed it as well as as they possibly could. So, uh big shout out to them. Um couple guys got game balls here tonight. Uh Moody came through for us. I mean, four field goals. we needed every point we could get there. Um, you know, getting called up there at the last second, that was huge for us. And then Swift got the other one here as well. So, over 100 yards rushing for him, uh, season high and seven plus yards per carry. So, uh, that last drive was was a lot of of swifty there, finding a little crease and getting us into field goal range for for that last kick. So, with that, I’ll go ahead and open it up. How crazy was it to see a ker like that come in the practice and have the type of game he had? Not I I wasn’t surprised at all. Um he uh we’ve seen him in practice now for a number of weeks. That’s one. And then you know we we also know what he’s capable of. He’s made big kicks in big games over the course of his career so far. So none of it was surprising. Um I think that’s who he is and I think that change of scenery was really good for him. You had the one that was blocked a little bit earlier. Um did that in terms of the alcohol operation did you what do you think what happened on the block and and and what did you address anything changing before the last game? Yeah, we’ll we’ll have to go back and look at the tape. I think the picture showed we might have had a little penetration there uh in the A gap and uh you know we we’ll see if we got the ball up high enough as well. So we’ll go back and look at that. Swift uh I he might get kind of lost in all the other storylines tonight. What did he mean to what you guys were doing offensively? Oh, it was it was huge. I mean, that’s this is the best the most efficient we’ve ran the ball all year. Um, you know, really felt an attitude with him. He did a great job finding a little crease and and stepping on the gas as we tal about. Um, played a physical style. Uh, not only that, I mean, that the the catch uh 55 yard touchdown was was really a game changer for us. There was a time in the game where we needed a little spark. we’re kind of, you know, faltering just a little bit as a team and and all it takes is one guy to make a big play like that and really ignite us again. And so, uh, I think it’s it’s who I really thought he was going to be going into the season is, um, we’re looking for guys that can elevate the people around him and and he did that here tonight. Yeah. Also, it was a little it’s kind of counterintuitive to go to the running back and run the ball as much as you did on that final drive with the clock running down. gave you the confidence that Swift was going to deliver? Well, yeah, it wasn’t only Swift, but uh felt good about how our guys up front were blocking. I thought that was the cleanest they’ve played. Um as as a whole up front, uh tight ends included. Our receivers are blocking really well. Uh you know, going to that last drive, I I was thinking this is going to be it for us. Um and so with that being said, I I want to make sure that they didn’t have a rebuttal drive either. So told Caleb on the headset, tell the big guys up front that that we’re going to ride the run run game on into the victory. So um they came through for us. Coach, you talk about the hostile environment. What would you say about Caleb, the way the man his motions ties to the area after everything that happened last year and coming out? Yeah. Um you know, something I was conscious of going into the week and uh it really didn’t talk a whole lot to him about it. Just said, “Hey, get your affairs in order if you got people coming to the game.” and and that’s all we really we said and and other than that it was it he was the same guy throughout the entire week. Um last night, you know, we’re having our our last few meetings and you know, some guys like to go see family or or people in the area and he’s there and we’re having our quarterback meeting and I see him in the in the chow hall having some snack late at night, too. So, I mean, he was he was locked in and he just um was all about trying to find a way to win this game and and do a good job for his teammates. So, um, really proud of how how we handled the week. Ben, within the run game, we saw a few different ways to get guys the ball, whether it’s a pitch or a toss, straight hand off. Like, how do you know when to kind of dial up the creativity when it comes to getting guys the ball? Yeah. Um, no. I I honestly this was probably the smallest menu we’ve had going into a week and and maybe that has something to do with us being able to execute a little bit better, you know, a little bit less volume, but like you said, we we had just a few different ways that we wanted to attack this team and uh um they did a good job executing it. I know your message a couple weeks ago was, you know, the book on on the Bears is that they can’t close and then you close against the Raiders, you close here. What does that say about kind of the way this thing is going and where it could be headed? Yeah, I I think it says a lot about our locker room right now. Um they they’re really they’re not just believing, but now they’re starting to understand that, man, if this thing’s close in the fourth quarter, then someone’s going to step up and make a play for us. And and we had a number of guys here in this fourth quarter that that did that. And so, um, I think these wins sometimes can go more, uh, a longer way for your program than than those blowouts do. So, it was good to see. Forgive me if you’ve been asked this already, but what’s the what was the decision process with Cairo coming into the game? Uh, we made it through the week and we just said, “Hey, it wasn’t he wasn’t feeling it.” And and we went ahead and made the change. Ben, you said during the week that like the the Hail Mary hadn’t crossed your mind and but you were going to let them kind of handle it. How did you see that from the Hail Mary from last year? How did you see that play out tonight? And did winning on the last play, you know, have that extra feel kind of like you were talking about? Yeah, I mean, we didn’t talk about it as a team. Um what’s what’s in the past is in the past and uh you know, I wasn’t here. Probably half the team wasn’t here. So, uh we’ve all moved past that and and I think they understand that. Um, I know some guys spoke on it and and gave their two cents, but beyond that, I mean, it wasn’t wasn’t a big deal. Thanks, guys. Thank you.

Head coach Ben Johnson addresses the media on Monday at Northwest Stadium after Week 6 win over the Washington Commanders.

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