Bear Digest

The Matt Eberflus errors Ben Johnson vows not to make as Bears coach

Sloppy ends to games plagued the previous Chicago coaching staff and their new coach says he considers these situations a real strength of his.

Gene Chamberlain

Ben Johnson approaches the podium at Halas Hall. The new Bears coach says he aims to finish games the right way.
Ben Johnson approaches the podium at Halas Hall. The new Bears coach says he aims to finish games the right way. / David Banks-Imagn Images
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Ben Johnson will have secrets during his time as Bears coach but for Day 1 he was willing to share one with the Chicago media.

He revealed what actually went on during a portion of the team's interviews. It was a fascinating look at how the organization sought to prevent another hire like Matt Eberflus, a coach who couldn't manage end-of-game or end-of-half situations.

During the interview, the Bears presented Johnson with a game situation on the screen and asked for his response.

"It was unique to this one was they plopped up here's the screen, here's the score, here's the time left in the game situation, and put you on the spot: What are you thinking? What are you telling the quarterback? What's your play? You know?," Johnson said. "And so I actually really appreciated that, because that's really where I've thrived as a play caller over the last few years, and being put on the hot seat and trying to think in real time.

"The game management portion it, it is something that has to be thought about. It's a very deliberate plan of attack so that the head coach and the coordinators are all on the same page."

Johnson didn't mention Eberflus but he was present for the final meltdown of Flus at Ford Field on Thanksgiving, when the clock expired on the Bears and they had a timeout in their back pocket after they had reached field goal range, and then were pushed back just outside of it.

End of game and end of half got the Bears on the Hail Mary pass in Washington, the 53-yard running play just before the half at Arizona and even to an extent against Green Bay in the game lost on a blocked field goal.

The key will keeping quarterback Caleb Williams abreast of everything.

"These situations, they got to be practiced early," Johnson said. "The quarterback has to be treated like a coach in these situations.

"I already talked about (how) he needs to see the game through the play caller's eyes. Well, when it comes down to these situations end of half, end of game, things that arise, he really needs to be in tune with the head coach as well, and what we're thinking, what we're trying to get done."

The Detroit game was an example as Caleb Williams wasn't given the power by coaches to do a lot on the field in terms of timeouts or changing plays, based on what he and coaches have said.

"So fortunately, we have, my time in Detroit, both with (coach Matt) Patricia and with (Dan) Campbell, were invaluable for me from a game management standpoint" Johnson said. "It was like nothing I had experienced in Miami. There were a number of guys there that, in my opinion, were the best in the league.

"And so, I've been able to pick up a number of things from the weekly game management meetings that we would have, that we would continue to have here in Chicago, to educating our players on what our vernacular is going to be. So that in a complicated situation that could arise, we're all on the same page with what needs to happen."

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.