Final Word: Ben Johnson is challenging the Chicago Bears. It's on them to answer

The Chicago Bears must know how the other guys feel now.

Across the locker room on Sunday in Baltimore, there was a common theme among the players. They had a chance to win five in a row and keep pace near the top of the NFC North.

After winning two of their last three games by a single point, the shoe was on the other foot. A winning streak ended with players singing a similar tune.

“We let that one get away from us for sure,” running back D’Andre Swift said.

It was fun while it lasted.

The Bears won four games in a row for the first time since Matt Nagy had his magical 2018 season. But, it’s rarely ever that easy.

A 30-16 thumping at the hands of a desperate Ravens team is a reminder of how a whole franchise can’t turn around overnight, even Ben Johnson isn’t that much of a miracle worker. Getting the Bears to believe they can win was a big first step. That led to wins over Las Vegas, Washington and New Orleans.

The belief never wavered. But, belief can only take a team so far. They’ve got to follow through on it.

This creates an inflection point of a Bears’ season where so much is still attainable, but nothing has been earned.

That was a stark reminder after the game as Johnson challenged his players. He did his part in showing the team that things can be different. However, winning the games, putting points on the board and tackling players? That’s what the players need to take care of.

Johnson openly noted that as two banged-up teams squared off Sunday.

“I expected a little bit more out of our squad to counter that,” Johnson said, challenging his team to be better.

It’s on on the Bears to respond to that challenge.

There’s an argument that the Bears should be winning games like this. Without MVP Lamar Jackson, the Bears had a chance to take one on the road. They should have, but the usual suspects reared their heads.

For the second-straight game, the Bears committed 10 or more penalties. Had they committed one more flag against Washington, that would’ve been three games in a row with 10 or more penalties. That’s not good.

Really good teams can overcome penalties. The Bears don’t fall into that category.

“We get away with it occasionally, but it’s just not the way you win,” Johnson said. “I really put it on the leaders to get this ship going in the right direction in that regard.

There are plenty of leaders to choose from. The Bears aren’t exactly a young team. They have veterans who have played games and other younger players who grew up fast during last year’s dismal year.

Those players saw what kind of game it was.

The Ravens, who had Derrick Henry and a dependable running game, leaned on that instead of asking Tyler Huntley to toss the football like Jackson could. The Bears couldn’t figure out how to stop the small stuff, while the offense couldn’t finish drives of its own.

Allowing the Ravens to stay multi-dimensional is one thing, but the Bears’ self-inflicted wounds being the main reason for that is what stings the most.

“We just played into their hands today,” Bears safety Jaquan Brisker said.

The penalties are becoming an issue that the Bears continuously struggle to solve. There’s nothing to pin it on, other than it’s the same thing happening again and again.

Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett said after the game the positive is there’s plenty the team can watch on film to make sure the same mistakes don’t happen twice.

They’ve been happening again and again. Even being down three starters means nothing.

“It had nothing to do with it,” Swift said of the injuries that piled up. “Red zone, penalties, we’re all here for a reason.”

That reason is why Johnson called out his team.

Expecting a high level of football a couple of games into his tenure is unrealistic. This is relatively the same roster that only one five games last year. But, seven games in, Johnson proved he can win some notable games and take care of business when needed to.

This falls under the latter.

It’s concerning to see Caleb Williams struggle, but he hasn’t had a massive meltdown of a game yet where that trumps the penalties. If Williams struggles next week against a Bengals defense that allowed 39 points to the Jets, then it’s time to have that conversation.

But, next week offers a chance for the Bears to respond to their head coach’s challenge.

“We’re going to get this thing cleaned up,” Johnson said, offering no real alternatives.

Either fix the penalties, or the staff will make the changes they need. They’ve done that so far this season.

Final Word: Ben Johnson is challenging the Chicago Bears. It’s on them to answer

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