The Chicago Bears are sitting pretty at 3-1, and get this: they’ve notched those three wins with three different starting quarterbacks under center. Crazy, right? It’s why Colin Cowherd, over on “The Herd,” is convinced that head coach Ben Johnson is the absolute centerpiece in Chicago. He’s not wrong either, saying on Monday that while it is a quarterback-first league, the guy who builds the culture is the coach. Cowherd believes the last two weeks are just more proof that Johnson is the main man for the Bears.
Bagent, Monangai, and a Whole Lotta Yards
Caleb Williams was out for his second straight game with a right hamstring injury this past Sunday, and what happened? The Bears still went out and beat the New York Jets 23-12. Backup quarterback Tyson Bagent tossed for 268 yards, and second-year running back Kyle Monangai went absolutely wild, carrying the ball a career-high 30 times for 146 yards and two touchdowns. Cowherd summed it up perfectly, “Yesterday, a backup running back, a seventh-round running back, with a backup quarterback. Once again, it’s 400-plus yards.” He even pointed out that Chicago had more first downs than the Jets had *total plays*! Seriously, Cowherd said, “So don’t look at the 23-12 score. This could have been 50-12. It was not competitive.” New York managed just 157 yards, a measly seven first downs, and couldn’t convert a single one of their seven third-down attempts. The Bears had the ball for nearly 43 minutes, a “lopsided college time of possession differential” according to Cowherd. They finished with 492 yards of offense, 232 of those on the ground, and set a franchise record with 34 first downs. Oh, and they didn’t punt a single time, for the first time since 2014. Talk about a clinic!
Johnson’s System Is The Star
This isn’t just a one-game fluke either. Remember Week 3? They took down the Eagles 27-7 on Monday night with 38-year-old Case Keenum at quarterback, who we all thought was basically retired. Keenum threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns in that game, and was 11-for-11 against the blitz. Cowherd gives all the credit to Johnson’s system, not any individual player, for this 3-1 start. He’s seen Johnson do it with Keenum, he’s done it with Bagent, and he’s done it with Caleb Williams stylistically. “It just doesn’t matter,” Cowherd says, while making it clear he’s “in no way marginalizing Caleb Williams.” Cowherd also highlighted Johnson’s commitment to the run game. This was the fifth time in the “Ben Johnson era” that the Bears have racked up over 220 rushing yards in a game. That’s a huge stat in today’s NFL.
Cowherd even went on to compare Johnson to other offensive masterminds around the league who he thinks define their franchises. Think McVay with the Rams, who got to a Super Bowl with both Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford. Or Kyle Shanahan with the 49ers, taking Jimmy Garoppolo to a Super Bowl. Liam Coen, who left Tampa Bay when they were struggling and elevated Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville, is another example. These offensive coaches are the true centerpieces, and Johnson is making a strong case to be among them.
So, as we watch this Bears squad, the focus isn’t just on who’s under center, but on the whole system Johnson has built. What’s next for this Chicago team, and how many more QBs can Johnson lead to a win? It’s going to be wild to watch how this plays out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
Leave a Reply