Johnson Critiques Bears Offense After Narrow Preseason Win

The Chicago Bears secured a narrow victory against the Kansas City Chiefs, winning 29-27 in a dramatic finish during their third preseason game on August 25, 2023. Despite the comeback, head coach Ben Johnson expressed disappointment with the performance of the team’s offense, particularly in the first half.

Johnson highlighted the lack of execution during the initial drives, stating, “Offensively, the first two possessions were really sloppy football that has plagued us in camp so far.” The Bears managed just 22 total yards on their first two drives, resulting in consecutive punts. Quarterback Caleb Williams fumbled on the first play of the game, and a false start penalty on tight end Colston Loveland hindered their momentum further.

The Bears’ struggles continued as Williams was sacked by Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones after holding onto the ball for nearly six seconds. Johnson noted that the team had previously worked to overcome these issues, saying, “If the first quarter was really any indication, it’s not good enough, so we got to get better in a hurry.”

The offense finally found its rhythm on the third drive, culminating in a 28-yard field goal by kicker Cairo Santos. With time running out in the second quarter, Williams led a 78-yard drive that ended in a 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Rome Odunze, bringing the score to 20-10 at halftime. Williams finished the game with an impressive 11-of-15 passing for 113 yards and one touchdown.

After halftime, Williams and the starting offense did not return to the field, as backup quarterback Tyson Bagent took over. Bagent, who recently signed a two-year, $10 million contract extension, completed 20 of 28 passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns. His performance included a game-winning touchdown pass to rookie undrafted free agent Jahdae Walker.

With just over two weeks until the Bears face the Minnesota Vikings on September 8, 2023, Johnson indicated he would reassess the offense’s progression. “We might have to ebb and flow a little bit after that opening game,” he said. He emphasized the importance of starting strong, both offensively and defensively, as the regular season approaches.

As the Bears prepare for their season opener, the focus will be on addressing the early-game inefficiencies that have surfaced during preseason. Johnson remains hopeful that analyzing game footage will provide insights to improve the team’s performance moving forward.