Ben Johnson on win over Giants | Press Conference

Ben Johnson on win over Giants | Press Conference

Okay, here we go. Uh, I think the only guy that we had that did not make it to the end was Hippolyte. He had a knee. So, um, you know, I told the guys in the in the locker room a minute ago, it really feels like I’m on repeat here. Just these guys are finding a way to to fight until the end and and win these games. And so, um, once again, not our prettiest game. We we had a number of things go on and, uh, you know, drops on offense and just we we weren’t playing consistent or efficient football on that side. And then defensively, we had a couple explosives. They doubled up up on us at halftime there with the field goal before the half and then the touchdown out at halftime. And you know, it’s easy to feel the momentum swing in their favor and yet our guys didn’t waver. You know, they they stayed consistent with it and uh and fought until the end. Give give their guys a lot of credit. You know, it’s a really good defensive front. Um, I thought they came out and and competed um and made it really challenging for us on offense and I I think this quarterback that they have is going to be a really good player for a long time as well. So, um, you know, credit to our guys for fighting through there at the end and coming away with one. So, go ahead and open it up from there. And the drops offensively, did you see consistent problems as far as causing that? No, I I you know, if it had been popping up in the course of practice or something like that, I’d be more concerned, but um as of right now, I think it’s an anomaly and and something that, you know, we’ll certainly talk about and address, but um I don’t think that’s really who we are. When you guys sign CJ, there’s a lot of question marks and uncertainty about how that’s going to go. and to have him come out and just be a total playmaker the first two weeks. What do you think that has done for you guys and for him in that locker room? Well, I I would say this. He he just I gave him one of the game balls and he uh he kind of alluded to it. You know, you get football taken away from you, which he felt like last couple months, that’s that’s his story. And uh now he’s here with with a bunch of guys rooting for him and he’s grateful for the opportunity. And so um it gives you just a greater sense of appreciation. And so he’s always been a phenomenal football player. Um I think he’s found a good home here in in Chicago. Our guys are gravitating towards his swagger, his playmaking ability. I think he’s he’s quickly becoming one of us. So um certainly not surprised by his performance. I’ I’ve seen it for a long time now. How would you describe the way that Caleb made plays with his in the fourth quarter, especially? Yeah, I mean I tell you he’s uh he he looks like a Houdini back there in the in the back field cuz like I said that’s a really good pass rushing front that uh they’ve given a lot of teams fits. Um I think Burns is leading the the NFL in sacks and so um there there are times where he’s trying to escape and making some things happen. He had a couple throws down the field, but like you said, over over 50 yards again rushing for the second week in a row, and I I thought in the fourth quarter there, we really needed that as a shot in the arm to to end up winning that ball game. So, um, credit to him. Then, how do you weigh the finish, the strong finish versus putting yourself in that position in the first place? Yeah. Well, I mean, it’s it’s I feel like that’s happened a few times for us now. And um you know the good news about it is is our guys are starting to I shouldn’t say starting to they have this they have this belief that um we’re going to find a way you know in the fourth quarter provided it’s it’s somewhat close we’re going to find a way to to come out on top of this thing and uh it’s week in and week out they’re proven that. Um, now we’d like to take it to the next step as a football team to where we’re up by a score or two in the fourth quarter earlier early on and we can we can uh you know shut the teams out that way. But um that’s hopefully next week, you know, we we’ll we’ll take them as they come. But uh once again, we found a way to win and that’s the most important thing. You talked about wanting to be at your best by December and you said the last couple games, you know, this hasn’t been your best performance, but to be six and three despite that, to have that much headway in the standings, what do you think that gives you as far as an opportunity as you’re trying to fix things? Yeah, well, I mean, I see improvement. I can I can tell you just offensively this was uh you talk about playing clean football. I know we made a number of mistakes and the drop certainly popped up, but uh three for four in the red zone. We only had three penalties as a team here this week. Those are two areas that have really plagued us. Our red zone defense was uh we held them one for four, you know, and so um yeah, I do see us still getting better each and every week. Even though it might not look that way when you’re when you’re necessarily watching the game, uh there there’s growth. There’s growth each and every week right now. So, um you’re right, we we got to continue to get better. Uh we got some really good opponents coming up here and and we will be playing our best football in December. [Music] It seems in those moments of improvisation that Caleb seems to be at his strongest. How do you balance allowing him to have that room to improvise but also staying within the system that you Yeah. And so that’s the more time we spend together, we we watch the tape and we we go over every play in practice, every play in the game, and uh he and I are seeing it exactly the same. And so he knows when he should step up and and try to just dump the ball down, do a check down right away. I thought he did that a couple times here today. and then other times where, you know, the rush is on him pretty quick and he’s got to he’s got to do something special. And so that’s the unique unique thing about his skill set is he’s got that ability. Um, as a play caller, it certainly certainly helps me out because I don’t feel like I need to be perfect with these play calls. Like he’s going to he’s going to make these things right. And so that’s the balance. That’s the trust that we we have as a as a quarterback and a play caller. Man, do you have a like a package of play calls for those kind of do it die drives? And do you also notice that Caleb’s intensity levels up in those situations? I don’t notice anything different about him. Um I think he’s he’s been locked in probably uh this week in particular was probably his best week of preparation. Um just as a whole, you know, from start to finish. And so, uh I feel like he was locked in from the moment I saw him this morning up until that last drive. And so, uh I I think he’s he’s doing a good job with all that. But um yeah, I mean there there are certain plays that we have for certain situations. Uh but more often than not, I’m thinking players instead of those particular plays. Who who can we get this ball to that’s going to come through for us? Was there a more concerted effort to get Rome the ball today? Uh we we always have a concerted effort to get Rome the ball, to get DJ the ball, to get uh Luther the ball, to get Oz. It’s all these guys. They all have plays. And so, um, yeah, each each and every week, Coloulston, Cole, all these guys, they they deserve a chance to have the ball in their hands. You guys defense, uh, will have bigger challenges than this coming ahead. How do you see the defense getting better? Every week changes. Um, you know, I I do think, you know, CJ’s presence, he’s going to continue to get better within this scheme. Um, you know, hopefully we’ll get TJ back at some point uh up front. You know, I think I gota take a look at how how Book did today, but I like I said, sweat’s really been coming on since the by-week. I I can feel his presence out there. Um, and then maybe we’ll get some reinforcements in the back end at some point as well. So, I think I think we’re going to be just fine. Each week’s its own story. I keep saying that. So, just because we play well one week doesn’t mean it carries over. Just because we play poorly one week doesn’t mean that carries over either. So, um, end of the day, we just need to continue to find ways to win. Does a CJ CJ kind of bring that kind of emotional intensity that Kyler did or do you have a number of guys uh in the defense that does that? Shoot. I I don’t I haven’t been around Kyler a whole lot yet. You know, he’s been he’s been dinged up and so I can’t I can’t speak to that. Um but no, I I listen I I love what CJ brings to the table right now. You feel him out there. Uh he’s he’s a football player. He loves to be competing. Um and he finds himself around the ball quite a bit. And so I think we all appreciate that. What do you think of DJ DJ playing through the injury and how bad is that? Unknown yet, but he he’s doing uh he’ll do everything he can. Um I think we got a bunch of selfless guys on offense right now that like I said, they’re going to do whatever they can to be out on the field for their buddies. Thanks, guys. Thank you.

Head coach Ben Johnson addresses the media Sunday following the Bears’ 24-20 victory over the New York Giants.

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