Well we have reached a little past the midway point of the 2025 season and I guess it is time for ya boy to give his thoughts on how the Ben Johnson era has been so far.
Ben Johnson:
There have been growing pains but overall I fear the Bears may have their guy. There is an energy that he brings that has not been around this team for a long time. His "Good better best" chants after a win have become a highlight for both me and the boy and me and my Bears group chat. He also brings an intense nature that the sideline has missed probably since Dave Wannstedt. No disrespect to Lovie Smith but he was definitely the cool and calm type. I saw a game where the Bears got an interception and followed it up with a touchdown and he looked as though he was going to assault everyone in his path. Needless to say I am very happy with his performance to date.
Defense:
The Defense has very much been the definition of boom or bust. First the negatives, overall the Bears rank 27th in total defense. They have struggled to get a consistent pass rush and with the way injuries have treated the secondary I may be starting this Sunday. Now the positive, they rank 6th in getting stops on third down and lead the league in takeaways. We are close to the return of both Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon so things could be looking up as we enter the hardest stretch of our season.
Offensive Line:
Coming into the season keeping Caleb Williams upright was of the utmost importance. By signing Drew Dalman and trading for Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney as well as the emergence of Theo Benedet it appears the offensive line is now falling into a groove as the running game has become a focal point of the offense and leading to the Bears of all time leading the league in explosive plays. I'll repeat that because it bears repeating, the Bears of Chicago lead the league in explosive plays. And it's all thanks to the big boys upfront.
Rookie Offensive Weapons:
The decision to draft Colston Loveland looked a bit like one that would bite us in the ass butin the last few weeks those talks have quieted. In the last five games he's averaging close to 50 yards per game receiving including the touchdown of the year arguably in the Cincinnati game. He is only getting better as he is currently the 4th option in the pass game but with his unique size and after the catch skill he could be approaching top tight end in the division stats by next season. Luther Burden has had few opportunities but he has made the most of those chances. He has been targeted 18 times and snagged 16 of those including a catch in the game winning drive last week to put the Bears in scoring position. Given his skillset and confidence in him he could push Olamedus Zaccheus down the depth chart. And last but certainly not least Kyle Monangai, a 7th round pick out of Rutgers has been a hell of a back up and spot starter to take the load off D'Andre Swift. In games where he has more than 10 carries he has gained over 80 yards each game. A hard nose runner who is hard to get on the ground and has shown a penchant for moving piles. Gives the Bears a very solid 1-2 punch at the position.
Caleb Williams:
Coming in the 2025 season the biggest storyline concerning the Bears was the continued growth of Caleb Williams. And while there have been hiccups along the way I would say he is progressing as he should. For instance, taking sacks was a huge problem. He was sacked 68 times, which is an unacceptable amount. This season through 9 games he has been sacked only 14 times, at the same point last season he had been sacked 38 times. He has orchestrated 4 game winning drives, has a league high 143.8 passer rating in the 4th and has already surpassed last seasons win total. Yeah I'd say those are reasons for optimism.
Well as we currently sit, we are 6-3 and have already surpassed last seasons win total and it's not even Thanksgiving which I would call this a successful season already. There are things to tighten up and improve but every week in all facets you see incremental growth. And in a season with an entirely new coaching staff, as well as offensive and defensive philosophy that is all you can ask for.
