Now at 6-3, the Chicago Bears seem to have made the right hire in poaching Ben Johnson from the Detroit Lions. Johnson did seem to be the hottest name on the market, and GM Ryan Poles made the push and learned from his mistakes.
The Bears are angling toward a playoff appearance and are very much in range to win the NFC North title, which would have felt like an impossible statement to make a few months ago. Not only did the Lions lose Johnson to the Bears, but they also lost Aaron Glenn to the New York Jets.
The defense has been good this year, but in Week 10, a major change of events seems to have confirmed what Chicago Bears' fans have already known about Ben Johnson.
Lions' HC Dan Campbell seems to have taken play-calling duties from OC John Morton
The Detroit Lions hired John Morton as the offensive coordinator this past offseason, replacing Ben Johnson. Morton called the plays until Week 10, apparently, when this bit of news broke at the beginning of the late-window action:
#Lions HC Dan Campbell has a play sheet and is doing the talking into the headset in between plays. Lots of indications of a disconnect between OC John Morton and the players and coaches. Campbell appears to have taken over offensive play calling, which he indicated was possible. pic.twitter.com/WccBVehNCa
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) November 9, 2025
The Lions are cruising to a victory over the Washington Commanders, and it's going to end up as one of their best offensive performances of the season. As of now, the decision by the Lions to replace Johnson with Morton might not have been a wise one.
On the flip side, the Chicago Bears are enjoying Ben Johnson. Through the first nine games of the 2025 NFL Season, Chicago is 6-3 and averaging 26.6 points per game, which is a stellar figure. The Bears' scoring defense is a different story, but that unit should get worked out.
For some context, the Bears' offense ranked 28th in points per game in the 2024 NFL Season, averaging 18.2 points per game, so Chicago is currently averaging over a touchdown per game, more.
The Bears dealt with inept offenses for years, and it did not feel like Chicago took that side of the ball seriously until this past offseason. Chicago clearly coveted their hard-nosed, defensive culture, but that is not what wins in the modern-day NFL at all.
It's still been just nine games, but the early returns from the Bears hiring Ben Johnson away from the Detroit Lions are good ones for the franchise. The Lions and Bears are both going to be 6-3 when Week 10 ends, so things are only just now heating up.