The Bears got a win in Week 1, and one of the clearest takeaways from Sunday was how much the receivers were asked to do away from the ball. Jahdae Walker found the end zone against the Panthers, but his bigger imprint came in the run game, where Chicago’s wideouts helped spring some of the team’s biggest gains.
Walker summed up the offensive mindset with the line, “no block, no rock.”
“Oh shoot, [Johnson] just says, ‘no block, no rock’ and that just gets us going because we all want the ball,” Walker said, via Courtney Cronin of ESPN. “So that’s pretty much all we be thinking about. It’s just you got to buy into it or you’re going to get left.”
Bears head coach Ben Johnson liked what he saw from that part of the offense.
“We had a lot of our little guys going down and making big plays for us on the running game that ended up being some big runs for us,” Johnson said.
Chicago also has a big money commitment locked in with D’Andre Swift. His three-year, $33.75 million extension carries an $8 million signing bonus and $26 million guaranteed.
The deal includes a guaranteed salary of $9.8 million in 2027, non-guaranteed salaries of $9.7 million in 2028 and $7.95 million in 2029, plus as much as $2.21 million in per-game roster bonuses, $700,000 in workout bonuses, and a $1 million roster bonus in 2029. (OverTheCap)
In Green Bay, the opener was a rougher story. Jordan Love took 18 hits in the loss to the Vikings, and offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich didn’t sugarcoat what happened up front.
“Eighteen times, actually,” Stenavich said, via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. “It’s not good enough.
It’s not the standard. That’s not what we’re going to be about.
We’ve got to be better.”
Love was picked off and went down four times in the second half, and Stenavich pointed to communication as a major issue, especially in a difficult road setting.
“I felt like as far as guys knowing what to do going into a game plan, I felt pretty good with all of that stuff,” Stenavich said. “But again, when you get into those environments, it’s just a good learning tool for everybody of how important it is to just be on top of your communication in those hostile environments.
So we’ve just got to learn from it and get better. I said it last week in my press conference that this was going to be probably the toughest environment that we were going to play in, mixed with all the pressures and different communication things we’re going to have to face.
… I’m not going to freak out or overreact or anything like that. This is the first game of a 17-game season.”
He also said left tackle Jordan Morgan has room to grow after Week 1.
“I think he could be better, and he will be. There were some plays I think he would like to have back, but again, it’s the first game of the year, and we’ve just got to make sure we’re improving with our technique and everything like that,” Stenavich said.
There was at least one encouraging note for Green Bay on Wednesday: Matt LaFleur said left guard Aaron Banks returned to practice and is being eased back in ahead of Week 2.
“We’re trying to get him ramped up, ready to go, but that’s a process that will take through the week.” (Ryan Wood)
In Minnesota, Kevin O’Connell offered a blunt reminder of what he’s learned during his time with the Vikings: the only thing that really counts is the win.
“I don’t think, in some of the adversity (the Vikings have faced in recent years), I’ve coached very well,” O’Connell said, via Alec Lewis of The Athletic. “Trying to maybe worry about the stat sheet (hurt the team).
Trying to maybe worry about what it’s going to look like when you pick up the newspaper. Statistically, are people going to think you’re a good coach?
It’s about winning. You learn it doesn’t matter what the stat box looks like.
It doesn’t matter what the EPA (expected points added) looks like. You need to know those things to know how teams may view what you’re successful at.
But none of those things matter. Winning is the only thing that matters.”
In Other News...
Vikings Already Face A Tough Chicago Question After First Injury Report
The first injury reports for Sundays game at Soldier Field already added a little extra intrigue to a Vikings-Bears matchup that had enough of its own built in. Minnesota is dealing with the loss of Jordan Mason to injured reserve because of a thumb injury, while Chicago listed right tackle Darnell Wright as out of practice with a knee issue. On top of that, both teams had a handful of other players limited or sitting out entirely, leaving the usual early-week uncertainty around who will actually be available by kickoff.
For the Vikings, the bigger picture goes beyond one report and into how much the roster can absorb this kind of attrition before a divisional game on the road. Chicagos injury list is worth watching too, especially on the offensive line, where Wrights status can shape the entire feel of the matchup. More updates are expected later in the week, and for a game with this much familiarity between the teams, the health chart may end up mattering just as much as the game plan. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Flores Faces A Bears Problem Vikings Fans Should Worry About
Ben Johnsons Chicago offense just put up a reminder of why the Bears can be a tricky matchup for Brian Flores defense. The ground game powered the day with 291 rushing yards and six touchdowns, and that kind of production is exactly the sort of thing that can stress a Vikings unit built to create chaos. Flores defense led the league in blitz rate in Week 1, but Johnsons heavy use of motion and misdirection is designed to make aggressive defenses think twice before they attack.
For Minnesota, the concern is not just one hot game from Chicago but the pattern Johnson has already established against Flores groups. His offenses have done well in those meetings before, which gives this upcoming matchup a familiar edge for the Bears and a lot to solve for the Vikings. If Minnesota cannot keep Johnsons run game from setting the terms, the rest of the defensive plan becomes a lot harder to trust. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Just Exposed A Secondary Concern Ahead Of The Bears
Minnesotas win over Green Bay came with a clear defensive identity, as Brian Flores leaned hard into pressure and kept the Packers uncomfortable all afternoon. The Vikings blitzed on 82.1% of plays, a volume that fits the ultra-aggressive style they have built around, but it also put extra attention on the back end and made the safety group a focal point for what worked and what did not.
Harrison Smith, Josh Metellus and Theo Jackson were part of a secondary that showed some coverage issues even in a victory, and that matters with Chicago coming next. Caleb Williams has handled the blitz well, which puts the Vikings in a tricky spot again, because the same approach that fuels their defense can also test the safety room in ways that leave little margin for error. [Read more 🡒]