Week 1 was a rollercoaster for many Bears fans. The Bears started strong and looked poised to start the Ben Johnson era with a win, only to collapse late against Minnesota. Now they head to Detroit for a matchup full of drama, emotion, and urgency. Here are my six thoughts as the Bears enter a critical showdown against the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
1. Ben Johnson already faces his former team in a must win situation
The Lions game isn’t just a game. It is a reunion with both tension and urgency. Johnson spent five seasons in Detroit, leading one of the NFL’s most explosive offenses as an offensive coordinator from 2022 to 2024. Now he returns as Chicago’s head coach, facing the team he helped build. The Lions fans did not take it well when he left Detroit to take the Chicago job. You can bet they will boo him the loudest whenever they have a chance. Meanwhile, Lions coach Dan Campbell, who worked closely with Johnson in Miami and Detroit, had this to say:
“We have fond memories of back when I was just a young, snot-nosed computer punk—as he likes to call it—in Miami. Ben’s my friend. He’s always going to be my friend. But we’re going to win this game. We have to”.
Both teams lost their season opener against the divisional rivals, so this matchup is personal for both coaches. This game adds more urgency for both Campbell and Johnson because starting the season 0-2 is not ideal for either man.
2. Are Caleb Williams & DJ Moore on the same page?
With 2:30 left in the fourth quarter, Caleb Williams had a chance to hit a wide-open DJ Moore streaking toward the end zone for a touchdown. Instead, the ball sailed out of bounds. The Bears managed to score a touchdown 30 seconds later, but many fans will remember Williams missing his throw.
Williams addressed the play midweek, owning the miss while hinting at a breakdown in communication.
“DJ ended up converting,” Williams said. “The safety was tucked inside, and we just ended up not being on the same page with the ball and things like that. I’ve just got to deliver him a good ball, probably a line drive next time, and let him go be special from there”.
Former QBs like Kurt Warner and Ryan Fitzpatrick both came to Williams’ defense. Fitzpatrick even suggested Moore may have ad-libbed his route, abandoning a corner pattern and running straight upfield, which forced Williams to double-clutch before releasing the throw. Even offensive coordinator Declan Doyle addressed the play when he was asked, and said Moore improvised his route.
So, is Williams and Moore on the same page? Is it time to panic.? Chemistry between Williams and Moore was something that was brought up even last season. Moore was missed on multiple targets throughout the game, including . That’s not ideal, but it’s also one on fourth down pass in the second quarter.
They need to be on the same page and connect on one of those deep shots in Detroit, which could help flip the narrative.
3. Kyle Monangai gets his shot now
The biggest question mark entering the 2025 season was the run game. Unfortunately, they were ineffective in the loss to the Vikings. D’Andre Swift gained only yards on carries, while rookie Kyle Monangai gained only yards on carries. That is not acceptable.
Johnson, to his credit, admitted his play-calling was not great and was imbalanced. He also indicated Monangai will get more involved in the offense moving forward, which is good news. The run game will also get a boost with the return of Roschon Johnson this week, who should help in short-yard situations.
While Swift and Johnson spent time in Detroit, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles after their only season together in 2022. His performance in Week 1 puts an onus on him and probably will face a similar fate once again next offseason.
4. Cairo Santos’ poor performance has him on short leash
Lost in the conversation of the Bears’ loss was just how bad the special teams played. Particularly, kicker Cairo Santos was bad.
He barely made a 42-yard field goal and missed a 50-yard field goal attempt, which swung the momentum in favor of the Vikings for the rest of the game. And the debate over his kicking came into light when he could not kick the ball out of bounds after scoring their final touchdown near the two-minute warning.
The Bears on Friday signed ex-49er kicker Jake Moody to their practice squad, which puts Santos on notice. Moody, a former third-round pick in 2023, was released after making only 1-of-3 field goals in their win over Seattle in Week 1.
The Bears are gambling that a change of scenery will help Moody regain his confidence while also sending a clear message to Santos. Ben Johnson plans to use the 2025 season to build the team into his image. If Santos does not improve quickly, he could become the first player to be let go under Johnson.
5. Noah Sewell and Dayo Odeyingbo performed well on defense
When T.J. Edwards was ruled out of the Minnesota game with an injury, Noah Sewell stepped in and performed well. Sewell, in his third season, was a complete afterthought in his two seasons under former head coach Matt Eberflus. In Dennis Allen’s defense, Sewell was very active and finished with 9 tackles.
However, his lack of coverage skills was exposed when the Vikings' running back Aaron Jones scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter. That is where Edwards excels, and fortunately, he will play on Sunday. It will be interesting to see how Allen plans to utilize Sewell moving forward.
Meanwhile, Odeyingbo had a strong debut with a sack and two tackles. Many were very skeptical about his signing in the off-season. While one game does not erase concerns about his consistencies, it was encouraging and something to build upon, with hopes of Montez Sweat eventually picking up his pace moving forward.
6. Prediction
The Bears face a must-win situation already in Week 2. You know Johnson is motivated to show he has what it takes to be a successful NFL head coach. Winning your first career game against the team you played a huge role in their success, would be prophetic.
It will not be easy, though. Johnson probably has some tricks up his sleeve, but no one is better equipped to handle them than the Lions. This will be an intriguing chess match between Campbell and Johnson.
Read more: Ben Johnson era starts with a loss the Bears fans are all too familiar with
Johnson must regroup this team after a rough debut. He admitted he did not do a good job. The accountability is already night and day compared to last season under Matt Eberflus. The Bears players must have short memories and be ready to compete.
Final score: Bears 27-23