Ben Johnson is walking into Week 2 with a familiar problem and, maybe, a useful answer.
The Chicago Bears are getting ready for the Minnesota Vikings and a Brian Flores defense that is built to make life miserable. In Week 1 against the Packers, Flores blitzed Jordan Love nearly 80 percent of the time he dropped back to pass, which was the highest rate in the league and well ahead of the next closest team at about 50 percent.
That kind of pressure changes everything. It forces quick decisions, demands clean protection and opens the door for a shot play if the offense can make a defense pay for crowding the line. That is where rookie wide receiver Zavion Thomas enters the picture.
Thomas did not play an offensive snap in Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers, though he did get on the field some on special teams. That may be tough to repeat against Minnesota. The Bears will be dealing with a defense that is expected to blitz heavily and crowd the box, which puts more pressure on Caleb Williams and the rest of the offense to create explosive plays.
Thomas has already shown the kind of speed that can matter in this matchup. In the preseason against the Tennessee Titans, he flashed his 4.28 speed and turned a 96-yard touchdown catch into something that looked almost effortless on a double move. If the Bears can find a way to isolate him deep, one win could change the game in a hurry.
Chicago is also likely to lean into heavier formations. In Week 1, the Bears used 12 personnel on 30 percent of their plays and 13 personnel on 16 percent of their snaps against Carolina. Against Flores, that number figures to rise, and Flores will be ready for it.
That is why this shapes up as a chess match.
Johnson was asked on Wednesday whether there is ever a temptation not to overthink things when facing a Flores defense, and he answered with a smile:
"Yes, yes there is."
He also has plenty of history against Flores to lean on. Johnson is 5-1 in six career matchups with him, and he made it clear that these games usually come down to adjustments.
"This game will end up being some adjustments going on over the course of it... that's how these ones have tended to go in the past," he said.
So the Bears may start with more protection and more tight ends on the field. Eventually, though, Johnson is going to need a way to stress the Vikings vertically, and Thomas gives him that chance.
Going from zero offensive snaps in Week 1 to at least a few against Minnesota would make sense. If the Bears are going to unlock a big play against Flores, Thomas has the speed to be the trigger. My best guess: he gets somewhere between five and 10 snaps, and he turns one of them into a significant chunk gain.
In Other News...
Bears Center Battle May Be Heating Up Faster Than Expected
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Logan Jones has made the competition even more interesting. The rookie second-round pick has already earned praise from coach Ben Johnson for his mental fortitude and football IQ, and that kind of trust can matter fast when a team is looking for answers up front. If Bradbury does not clean things up soon, the Bears may not wait long to see whether Jones is ready for a bigger role. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Defense Has No Excuse Against A Shorthanded Vikings Offense
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Chicago does not have much room to waste an opportunity like this. Even with the Vikings shorthanded, the Bears will need to tackle better, tighten up in coverage and do the little things that were missing last week if they want to make Minnesota pay for the absences and get their season pointed in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]
Caleb Williams Is Giving Bears Fans A New Edge In This Rivalry
Caleb Williams has quickly given Bears fans a different way to size up this rivalry. Jordan Love may still own the cleaner regular-season rsum, but Chicagos new quarterback has already brought a sharper edge to the matchup by delivering in the moments that matter most, and that matters plenty in a rivalry where confidence can swing as fast as a game script.
The Bears have won two straight against their rival, and Williams poise under pressure has become part of the reason the balance feels different now. Loves struggles in clutch situations have only sharpened the contrast, leaving Chicago with a quarterback who looks increasingly comfortable when the stakes rise and giving this old matchup a new, uneasy dynamic for Green Bay. [Read more 🡒]