The Bears got exactly the kind of start Ben Johnson had been promising all along.
Before the season, Chicago’s head coach made it clear he wasn’t just chasing respectability or a playoff push. He wanted fireworks.
He wanted the scoreboard to keep moving. On Sunday, the Bears delivered a staggering 59-point road outburst against the Panthers, and Johnson sounded every bit like a coach who expects that standard to stick.
“That’ll always be the goal,” Johnson said via the team. “We want to be the highest scoring, we want to have the most wins, we want to win Super Bowls.
That’s what we do. We didn’t get into this profession trying to be mediocre or average.
That’s every NFL team. That is what it is.”
In Detroit, Jahmyr Gibbs stepped into a bigger role and answered with a monster day.
With David Montgomery out for the first time, Gibbs piled up 34 total touches, 186 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns in the Lions’ win over the Saints. Dan Campbell said flat-out that leaning on Gibbs that heavily is not the ideal long-term plan, but the coach also made it clear he was going with the player who had the hot hand. Campbell said Gibbs’ conditioning gives the team confidence to ask more of him, while stressing that they’ll keep monitoring his health.
“You know what I like? Winning the game, man,” Campbell said, via ESPN’s Eric Woodyard.
“And that guy’s our hot hand and ultimately, do I want to set records with how many carries? No.
That’s not something I want to do.”
“He’s in the best shape I’ve seen him in since he’s been here. So, now, that doesn’t mean we’re not going to monitor and we’re going to keep an eye on this guy because we understand that, too. But we did what we had to do today.”
Gibbs wasn’t interested in making a big deal out of the workload.
“It doesn’t matter to me,” Gibbs said. “I’m just trying to help the team win no matter what that looks like.”
Campbell also wasn’t about to spend too much time picking apart a win after the Lions nearly coughed up a 21-0 lead.
“I’m not worried. I know we gotta clean it up and we will.
…Glad we got the W.” (Colton Pouncy)
In Minnesota, Carson Wentz picked up a little extra on the side after the Vikings beat the Packers in Week 1. According to Spotrac, he earned a $100k bonus for that win.
Spotrac noted that Wentz is eligible for the bonus every time he plays at least 60 percent of the snaps in a game the team wins, with a cap of six wins. If that keeps rolling, he could then add another $150k for each of his next six wins.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell also gave an update on Kyler Murray, saying Murray “came in feeling pretty good today” but is still in the concussion protocol. O’Connell said the team will continue to lean on the medical staff and handle things day to day. (Ben Goessling)
O’Connell also revealed RB Jordan Mason
In Other News...
Kyler Murrays Vikings Debut Just Took A Frightening Turn
Kyler Murrays first appearance in a Vikings uniform took a harsh turn before it could really settle into a rhythm. The quarterback was struck helmet-to-helmet by Packers safety Javon Bullard, a hit that drew an unnecessary roughness penalty and quickly changed the feel of the game for Minnesota, especially with Murray then forced to leave and backup Carson Wentz stepping in.
For a team still trying to build any momentum around its new quarterback, the sight of Murray heading to the sideline was the biggest storyline of the day. Medical expert David J. Chao said the footage showed neurological signs consistent with a concussion, leaving the Vikings to sort through a debut that was supposed to answer questions and instead raised a much more unsettling one. [Read more 🡒]
Kyler Murrays First Vikings Snap Was Already Hard To Ignore
Kyler Murray arrived in Minnesota with plenty to prove, and he wasted no time making his presence felt in a quarterback battle that had been watched closely all summer. After signing a one-year deal following his release from Arizona, Murray went head-to-head with J.J. McCarthy in training camp and eventually earned the Week 1 nod from coach Kevin OConnell, a decision that signaled a fresh start for both player and team.
What makes Murrays fit more interesting is how openly he has embraced the Vikings as more than just his next stop. He has talked about strong personal ties to the franchise and the chance to reinvent his NFL career in Minnesota, which gives his first snaps an added layer of meaning beyond the usual camp competition. For a team looking to settle its quarterback picture, the early signs around Murray are already hard to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Backup Decision Just Changed Everything In Green Bay
Kevin OConnells backup quarterback choice suddenly mattered a whole lot more once Kyler Murray locked in the starting job, and for the Vikings it put Carson Wentz in the spotlight as the No. 2 behind him instead of J.J. McCarthy. The move looked like a depth-chart decision on paper, but it became the kind of call that shapes a game when Wentz was pressed into action early in the season opener against the Packers.
Wentz responded by helping turn a difficult start into a 39-22 comeback win in Green Bay, settling in quickly and finding Justin Jefferson for multiple scores. He finished 12 of 19 for 133 yards and three touchdowns, a performance that did more than steady the Vikings for one afternoon. It also gave Minnesota a backup situation that now looks a lot more consequential than it did when camp ended. [Read more 🡒]