The Bears opened their season with a win that looked convincing on the scoreboard, but one sequence in the second quarter stood out for all the wrong reasons. Ben Johnson’s decision to keep the offense on the field for a fourth-down sneak at his own 21-yard line was the kind of gamble that can swing a game fast.
It wasn’t exactly a shock to see Johnson take that kind of shot. He spent time as the offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions under Dan Campbell, a coach known for leaning hard into fourth-down aggression, and that edge has followed Johnson to Chicago in 2025.
The problem came with the game in a spot where the risk was huge and the reward was modest. Chicago was leading 21-14 with more than 10 minutes left in the second quarter when Johnson opted against a punt and called a quarterback sneak.
The play went nowhere, and Carolina got the ball with excellent field position. Bryce Young then finished the drive with a touchdown, and Ryan Fitzpatrick’s extra point tied the game.
The timing made the call even harder to justify. Chicago had scored on its previous three possessions, and the run game was working well enough that a short-yardage attempt seemed manageable. But in that situation, the downside of handing Carolina the ball so close to scoring range outweighed the upside of chasing a first down.
Johnson’s willingness to attack is part of what makes him Johnson, and that won’t change. Still, this was the kind of fourth-down decision that needs a little more restraint, especially near Chicago’s own end of the field. The Bears had enough firepower to roll past Carolina, but that same approach could get punished quickly in a tighter, lower-scoring game.
In Other News...
Bears Just Sent A Telling Signal About Tyson Bagent For Carolina
The Bears added quarterback Miller Moss to the practice squad and moved quickly to elevate him along with Kaden Davis, a sign that their quarterback room is being handled with Carolina in mind. Chicago has not ruled Tyson Bagent out, and he did travel with the team, but the roster maneuver points to a real possibility that the Bears are planning as if they may need another option available on game day.
How the quarterback group shakes out will hinge on whether Bagent gets clearance before kickoff. If he is able to dress, the Bears can keep the rest of the plan relatively straightforward, with Case Keenum likely stepping into the emergency role. If not, the elevation of Moss suddenly becomes a much more meaningful part of Chicagos Week 1 prep than a simple depth move. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Pass Rush Is Already Drawing The Wrong Kind Of Attention
The Bears opened the season with a wild 96-point shootout against the Panthers, a game that rewrote a long-standing league scoring record and still ended with Chicago on top. DAndre Swift and Kyle Monangai both topped 100 rushing yards, giving the offense plenty to celebrate, but the night also produced a defensive moment that immediately traveled far beyond the stadium.
On one blitz against Bryce Young, a Bears defender appeared to ease up before getting to the Panthers quarterback, and the clip spread quickly online for all the wrong reasons. For a team trying to set a tone on defense, it was the kind of attention that can linger long after a win, especially when the pass rush is supposed to be one of the calling cards of the group. [Read more 🡒]
Kaden Davis May Have Just Changed His Bears Role For Good
The Bears opener in Carolina gave Kaden Davis a chance to flash the kind of value that can keep a fringe roster player around long after camp breaks. Elevated from the practice squad for Week 1, the wide receiver was in the right place when Panthers returner Jimmy Horn Jr. muffed a punt, and Davis pounced on it to set up a Bears field goal in the 59-37 win.
It was the sort of small but telling moment that can matter a lot for a player trying to carve out a role. Davis already had made a good impression in training camp and preseason, and his special teams work is now part of the conversation about how Chicago may use him going forward, especially if he keeps showing he can help in more than one phase of the game. [Read more 🡒]