Coaches can only control so much of what happens on the field until the players need to do something. Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson has not backed down from giving his team criticism, but now he might be looking in the mirror as well.
While speaking with the media before practice, Johnson reflected on their Wednesday practice where he criticized everyone for how they performed.
“I was pretty disappointed with the practice as a whole yesterday. There were a lot of details that we need to clean up.”
Ben Johnson blunt on yesterdays practice:
— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) July 31, 2025
“I was pretty disappointed with the practice as a whole yesterday. There were a lot of details that we need to clean up.”
Despite the takedown on his team, Johnson also ensures that he holds himself accountable for the team's performance. He specifically discussed making sure he sets his offense up for better success.
"I'll fall on the sword on that one. I didn't do a good enough job of installing those plays for them to come out and look the way that they looked offensively."
Notable moment for Ben Johnson, who was critical of his offense's performance in practice yesterday, but added:
— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) July 31, 2025
"I'll fall on the sword on that one. I didn't do a good enough job of installing those plays for them to come out and look the way that they looked offensively."
Concerns surrounding the Bears' offense isn't going away with something needing to change
It's never ideal to overreact after just a week or so of training camp, but it's starting to feel as though it's taking longer than expected to get into sync. There have been many issues with pre-snap problems, and quarterback Caleb Williams not being able to connect with his receivers.
The Bears' defense might not have had its best practice on Wednesday, but overall, it has been significantly better throughout training camp than the offense has. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has changed the culture of the unit, and it shows on the field with stellar tight coverage being played on the receivers.
Johnson might be holding himself accountable, but the players have to start performing better. Fans have witnessed the success of Johnson's offense during his time with the Detroit Lions, as they were a top-five unit for three consecutive years.
Is it coming down to the offense being too complicated for the Bears' players? It seems unlikely, as there are skilled players on offense. So what has to change?
Read more: NFL writer wants one Bears question answered during preseason
Right now, it's about practicing good patience and letting the Bears' offense play at least one preseason game together to see how far they have come along before hitting the panic button.