The Chicago Bears offense just went from a 59-point explosion in Week 1 to a meager 3-point sputter in Week 2, a brutal 56-point freefall that screams “Second Album Syndrome” louder than any rock band. That’s not just a bad game, folks. That’s the biggest game-to-game drop-off in the NFL since 1973, when the Falcons, coincidentally in Week 1, scored 62 points and then got absolutely shut out the very next week. Ouch. This wasn’t supposed to happen with Ben Johnson, the coach lauded as “The Next Big Thing.”
Where Did The Next Big Thing Go?
Johnson caused quite a stir when he turned down the Commanders in 2024, so the Bears landing him last year was a huge deal. His first year was a certified hit, leading Chicago to their first playoff win since 2010. But year two? It’s a whole different beast. We’ve seen plenty of coaches struggle after a smash debut, and Johnson looks like he’s joining that list. The poor weather last week certainly didn’t help, grinding the Bears’ offense to a screeching halt. A week after D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai each ran for over 100 yards, they combined for a measly 92. The old adage is proving true again: stop the run, and you can stop Ben Johnson’s offense. Easier said than done, sure, considering the Eagles gave up over 125 yards to both Swift and Monangai last year in a 24-15 loss to the Bears. But now, it looks like teams have the blueprint.
QB Woes and Run Game Reality Check
The quarterback situation ain’t helping either. The Bears will be without Caleb Williams on Monday, and they might not even have Tyson Bagent. So, somehow, Case Keenum is back in the mix. Keenum has never been a threat to run, and while Bagent did scramble for 105 total yards in his four starts in 2023, that kind of mobility is gone with Keenum under center. Williams himself only had 13 yards on the ground in that Eagles game last year. This isn’t just a bump in the road, it’s a full-blown crisis revealing how much this defense is struggling against the run. With the rushing attack stifled and the quarterback depth chart looking thin, it’s time to see how good Ben Johnson really is, or how much his first year was carried by a strong run game.
The “Lemon” Effect and a Troubling Trend
It gets worse. “Lemon,” a Bears receiver, is off to a historically bad start. He’s part of a group of 110 wide receivers who started a season with at least two catches for 4.5 or fewer yards per attempt. While a few good players, like Doug Baldwin, Julian Edelman, Henry Ellard, and Tyler Lockett, have had such bad starts, they didn’t recover *that season*. Baldwin, in 2012, finished with only 29 catches for 366 yards, way down from his 50-plus catches and 778-plus yards in 2011 and 2013. Edelman managed just 7 catches in 2010 after 37 in his rookie year. Ellard’s 1992 season was an anomaly in a nine-year span of dominance. Lockett, after getting cut last year, signed with the Raiders and performed no better, and he’s currently a free agent. Most players with starts as bad as Lemon’s are completely forgettable, and the list of recent young receivers with similar starts is mostly uninspiring: Luther Burden, Chase Claypool, Britain Covey, Chimere Dike, DeMario Douglas, D’Wayne Eskridge, Brandon Johnson, and Xavier. This trend is not looking good for the Bears’ receiving corps, adding more pressure to an already struggling offense. Bears fans are gonna find out, ready or not.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleeding Green Nation.
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