The first two weeks of the regular season seemed like a nightmare for Chicago Bears fans, but they are back on cloud nine after convincingly taking down the Dallas Cowboys 31-14.
The Bears delivered an overall excellent team performance, with all three phases of the game stepping up and playing well. The offense had a season-high 385 yards, the defense forced four turnovers, and special teams held their own with a field goal made and great punts.
This is a game the Bears can hang their hats on and celebrate for a while. Why's that? It was Bears head coach Ben Johnson's first win as a head coach in the NFL. Some might not have even noticed that his demeanor was on the sidelines and postgame.
Johnson is all business after his first career win with the Bears
Bears fans saw the intensity from Johnson throughout his three weeks as head coach, as he's not about smiling and excitement on the sidelines. His quarterback, Caleb Williams, explained to FOX reporter Tom Rinaldi why Johnson is not like that.
"Obviously, we left a lot of points on the board. Offense, defense. So, obviously, he's going to be how he is about that."
That same energy was brought into the press conference after the game as Johnson shared how there's no time to celebrate the win.
"We're behind the 8-ball. We're 1-2."
Bears coach Ben Johnson in no mood to celebrate his first career victory: "We're behind the 8-ball. We're 1-2."
— Jason Lieser (@JasonLieser) September 21, 2025
That's the type of attitude that has been missing from Chicago for a long time. Yes, teams should have fun after a win, but this is still a job. One game doesn't excuse what happened the previous two weeks.
The Bears have to stay focused as they will be on the road for four of their next five games. Those road games include the Las Vegas Raiders next week, the Washington Commanders, the Baltimore Ravens, and the Cincinnati Bengals. Their home game sandwiched in between the road matchups is the New Orleans Saints.
Read more: 4 winners (and 2 losers) in Bears' 31-14 statement win over Cowboys
It's going to be a brutal next month for the Bears, and if they can't find a way to at least get to .500 after that stretch, they could be in serious trouble for the postseason.