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Ben Johnson’s Chicago Bears continue to make a habit of winning in dramatic fashion, edging out the Vikings by the final score of 19-17 in Minnesota
Last weekend after the Chicago Bears came from behind to defeat the New York Giants 24-20, I said the following about this team that is making a habit of winning football games in truly dramatic and utterly ridiculous fashion:
Maybe I’m starting to come off like a broken record, but I’ll write something I know I’ve already written a handful of times this season… why the heck can’t this Chicago Bears team play a normal football game? Must every game, whether it ends in a win or a loss, come down to the final possession? I just don’t know if my head or heart can take much more, but I suppose as long as the W’s keep piling up, I shouldn’t complain.
Well, I’m a man of my word, because you’re not gonna find me complaining today after Chicago earned a 19-17 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on the road. Right now, I feel like I’m at a loss for words, so as usual, I’ll go ahead and let Bears head coach Ben Johnson do the heavy lifting and chime in when necessary during his post-game press conference.
Ben Johnson’s Opening Statement… “I’m proud of the guys. 7-3 is nothing to scoff at, and as ugly as it can be at times, this group’s just proven time and time again that when it’s close there in the 4th quarter that we’re capable of finding a way. So, first division win, on the road, and I’m really proud of the guys how they fought there at the end.”
I know it’s become a point of conversation in the media that Ben Johnson, week after week, continues to tell his team and the media that this is who the Chicago Bears are, but what else is he supposed to say at this point? Do we want him to go into the locker room like a wet blanket and tell his team not to celebrate their wins? Should he be apologizing that the Bears keep winning in dramatic fashion? This whole discourse is really starting to annoy me.
Would I like for the Bears to win convincingly every once in a while? Absolutely I would. It would make Sunday’s a whole lot less stressful not only for me, but for all Bears fans out there, including my father, who I worry about every single Sunday because he might just end up stroking out during one of these tight games. But I’m not gonna sit here and pretend I’m disappointed in this team because they win every single week in the most bonkers ways.
Johnson on Devin Duvernay’s clutch kickoff return late in the 4th quarter… “We absolutely needed that. We had kinda been waiting for one of those from him to be honest with you. He’s come really close a number of times, and then he was able to capture it on the bounce there and got us right there just a little bit out of field goal range. He got one of the game balls because of it, and it was very well deserved.”
I’m glad to know I wasn’t the only one waiting on Duvernay to finally have a return of note. Week after week I’ve been waiting for Luther Burden to take over return duties, but Duvernay proved he was well worth the offseason investment today.
Johnson on Cairo Santos hitting the game-winning field goal after missing a 45-yard attempt earlier in the 4th quarter… “That’s who he is. He’s a high percentage field goal kicker anyway, so I’ve got a lot of confidence in him. He’s proven that over the course of the season. Really he’s been doing this for a long time. He doesn’t let one miss faze him. We know it’s a high likelihood he’ll make the next one. He really embodies what we are as a team. Very resilient.”
Gotta be honest: I didn’t love the Bears playing things so conservatively on that final drive of the game. Would’ve preferred to not have it come down to a kick right on the edge of Cairo Santos range. But to Cairo’s credit, even though it wasn’t pretty, and even though he missed one that would’ve iced it just a few minutes earlier, that final kick went through the uprights.
Johnson on getting contributions from all three units… “I think we’ve proven a number of times here this year that one of these phases is going to come through for us. Cincinnati game, offense was kind of carrying the banner there that game. I thought defense did a great job here today. They’ve done that for the course of the season for the most part. Special teams come through for us when we really need it today. So we kinda just cycle around on who is stepping up to the plate and bringing us the win, and I think that’s what good teams do.”
This is one aspect of this team that is both tremendously encouraging and incredibly frustrating all at once. There hasn’t been a single game yet this year where all three facets clicked on the same afternoon ALL afternoon, but they always manage to do just enough when they’re needed.
Johnson on the resilience of the Chicago Bears… “I think they just understand we are really talented, so it’s just a matter of time before someone’s gonna make a big play for us. We’ve got playmakers on offense, defense and special teams, and someone’s gonna show up and end up giving us the spark we need.”
I present an incomplete list of the players who have given the Bears ‘that spark’ throughout the season: Caleb Williams, D’Andre Swift, Kyle Monangai, Colston Loveland, Rome Odunze, DJ Moore, Luther Burden, Montez Sweat, Tremaine Edmunds, CJ Gardner-Johnson, Kevin Byard, Nahshon Wright, Josh Blackwell, Cairo Santos, Jake Moody, Devin Duvernay.
Apologies to anyone I missed, but the point is, someone always seems to find a way.
Johnson on Nahshon Wright’s interception in the end zone late in the 2nd quarter…
“That was a huge one for us right before halftime. They’re knocking on the door in scoring range, and he was the guest captain this week. So I know it means something to him going against his former team being able to haul one down. Really good coverage. He’s so long, he’s able to knock balls away or haul them in, and we definitely needed that one.”
Props to Nahshon Wright for making a huge momentum saving play late in the 1st half while playing with a heavy heart after his former coach at Laney College, John Beam, was tragically killed earlier this week.
Johnson on the defense forcing two more turnovers this week… “That’s kinda been the story of our wins. We know how important that statistic is, taking care of the football on offense and getting our takeaways on defense. Most of these seven wins that we’ve had we’ve been winning that turnover battle. It’s no secret to us, no secret to our opponents. We gotta keep that trend going.”
In Chicago’s seven wins this season, they’ve won the turnover margin 21-2.
Johnson on the Bears being 7-3 and sitting atop the NFC North… “Guys, we’re midseason right now, so we’re not even looking at that. We’ve earned seven wins so far, and we’re looking for the opportunity to go 1-0 next week.”
Next week, the Bears play the Pittsburgh Steelers, and let me just go on record and say this: Aaron Rodgers was knocked out of Pittsburgh’s win today with a hand injury. Even though he’s been the boogeyman in Chicago for nearly two decades, I want him to play next Sunday. I want this team to exorcise those demons, and hopefully send Rodgers into retirement with his last game against the Bears being a loss. I want it.
Let’s go 1-0 next week!
The New York Jets are in a tough spot with running back Breece Hall right now.
Hall was a trade chip at the trade deadline because of his expiring contract, but the Jets opted against moving him as it seems like they’ll attempt to re-sign him in the offseason. But there’s a chance the Jets lose him in free agency and would need to replace him in the upcoming offseason.
FOX Sports’ Rob Rang recently put together a mock draft for the 2026 NFL Draft. In this mock draft, Rang projected the Jets would use the No. 30 pick to select Miami running back Mark Fletcher. The Jets acquired the No. 30 pick from the Indianapolis Colts in the trade for Sauce Gardner.
“While the focus is understandably dedicated to the Jets’ looming decision at quarterback, it seems nearly as likely that the club will also be seeking a new running back, with Breece Hall in the midst of the final year of his rookie contract,” Rang wrote. “Hall is a talented back — and is still just 24 years-old — but the Jets were likely expecting multiple 1,0000-yard rushing seasons from him when they selected him No. 36 overall four years ago, and he has failed to deliver even one of them thus far.
“The 6-foot-1, 225-pound Fletcher is a bigger, burlier back than Hall and might offer more of the grit between the tackles Glenn and Engstrand were accustomed to with the Detroit Lions.”
The Jets will likely make a big effort to retain Hall this offseason. That’s seemingly the reason they opted to hold onto him at the trade deadline.
But if they can’t retain him, drafting a running back like Fletcher would make a lot of sense. Fletcher has a nose for the end zone, as he’s scored 23 touchdowns over three seasons. He’s scored nine times already this year.
He’s averaging over five yards per carry this season. There’s a chance he plays himself into the first round and the Jets could be the perfect fit with their second pick in the first round.