Can Ben Johnson Do What Previous Bears Coaches Couldn’t Coming Off Bye Week?
Upon Ben Johnson’s arrival in the Windy City back in January, fans of the Chicago Bears have had deliriously high expectations for the 39-year-old first time head coach. Whether we we’re all willing to admit it or not, from the time Johnson left behind the Detroit Lions to become the new head coach of the Bears, we started thinking about big picture things like, ‘How long will it be until Chicago returns to the Super Bowl?’
But in reality, to earn the immediate respect and appreciation of Bears fans, Ben Johnson didn’t need to deliver on those lofty hopes. Based on the previous four head coaches of the Chicago Bears, we just needed Ben Johnson to check just a few boxes to ensure he wasn’t like the last handful of guys who have sat in the big seat at Halas Hall…
Is Ben Johnson a complete and total goofball who refuses to take accountability for his faults, much to the dismay of his players (like Matt Eberflus?)
Is Ben Johnson going to show early promise as a play-caller and then see everything fall apart over the second, third and fourth season’s of his tenure (like Matt Nagy?)
Is Ben Johnson doing this just to collect a paycheck (like it seemed like John Fox was doing?)
Is Ben Johnson the kind of ‘offensive mastermind’ who can actually facilitate the necessary change on that side of the ball while simultaneously not losing the support of the locker room (unlike Marc Trestman AND Matt Nagy?)
But this Monday night, as the Bears visit the Washington Commanders in one of two games on a Monday Night Football double-header, Johnson has a chance to do something that none of these four predecessors were able to do on a consistent basis… secure a win coming off of a bye week.
Over the previous 12 seasons, the Bears have gone 2-10 in their first game following a bye week, which is a damning indictment of the quality of these four head coaches. Only Eberflus (1-2) and Trestman (1-1) managed to get wins, while Nagy (0-4) and Fox (0-3) failed to get a single victory, even with an extra week of preparation and rest.
Ben Johnson’s Approach Coming Off Of Bye Week
If you were expecting some grand epiphany out of Ben Johnson as it relates to his approach to the bye week, you’ll likely be disappointed by his mindset. As Johnson put it, objective number one for his team was making sure that everyone’s body and minds were in the right place coming out of the week off.
“I don’t know if there’s any secret sauce to it, to be honest with you. These guys, I’m pretty pleased with how they approached it,” Johnson said, per Alyssa Barbieri of Bears Wire. “I think a lot of them stayed local and they just wanted to get their bodies right, wanted to get sleep back in order. So they should be feeling fresh right now. We had a couple extra route sessions, but that’s as much conditioning as it is just being on the same page, hooking up.”
Beyond that, Johnson and his staff have been focused on the execution, just as has been the case since the team got together in late-July to begin training camp.
“But each week’s its own deal. I would love to have another 40 point game, but it’s one of those things you just never know,” Johnson added. “We have to go earn it. We have to have a great week here in terms of our preparation, and then we have to go out and execute, hopefully better than we have the previous four weeks. That’s what we’re looking to do. I really don’t think of anything coming off the bye or anything like that. We’re on to the next one.”
The next one for the Bears is a Commanders team coming off of an impressive road victory over the Los Angeles Chargers last Sunday. Not only do the Bears need to deal with reigning Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels, who has been the subject of plenty of Ben Johnson praise this week, but they also need to deal with the emotional burden of returning where their season died last year.
Former GM Pitches Absurd Maxx Crosby Trade to Tom Brady’s Old Team
Though Maxx Crosby has never requested a trade from the Las Vegas Raiders, speculation has swirled for the last few seasons as the team continues to struggle to win games. Once the Raiders gave Crosby a historic contract in the offseason, it seemed like trade speculation would die, but that hasn’t been the case.
With Las Vegas starting 1-4 and heading in the wrong direction, there’s been renewed trade talk surrounding Crosby’s name. If the Raiders made him available, there would be no shortage of teams interested.
He’s one of the best defensive players in the NFL and could help pretty much every team in the league. He’s the face of the Raiders, so they won’t give him up without getting a haul in return. That said, former NFL general manager and ESPN analyst Mike Tannenbaum believes that Crosby could be had without a team having to give up a first-round pick.
“This one’s a no-brainer: Maxx Crosby for a second and a fourth-round pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers,” Tannenbaum said on ESPN’s “Get Up.”
When pressed about the asking price being too low, Tannenbaum cited durability concerns as to why the Raiders shouldn’t expect a first-round pick in return.
Raiders Would Never Accept Tannenbaum’s Trade Pitch
Just to get this out of the way, Tannenbaum’s trade pitch makes zero sense whatsoever. In what world do the Raiders give up an All-Pro 28-year-old pass rusher without getting at least one first-round pick in the deal?
Some would argue that Crosby is a better player than Parsons, but even if he isn’t, that doesn’t mean he’s worth a fraction of the price. The only reason the Raiders would even consider trading their best player would be to stock up on assets to build toward the future.
A second and fourth round pick does not move the needle at all. The Buccaneers make some sense as a possible trade partner, as minority owner Tom Brady used to play there and general manager John Spytek worked there for years, but they aren’t going to give them a discount for one of the premier defenders in the NFL.
Will Crosby Want a Trade?
Crosby has openly talked about how he wants to spend his whole career with the Raiders. He’s been through a lot of ups and downs with the team, and wants to be part of the franchise when they start winning again.
However, he’s also very competitive and wants to win. The Raiders haven’t won a playoff game since the 2002 season, when Crosby was five or six years old. Even Super Bowl-winning head coach Pete Carroll can’t seem to figure out how to turn the franchise around.
Crosby only has so many years left of being in his athletic prime. If the Raiders lose to a bad Tennessee Titans team in Week 6 at home, it’s easy to see the defensive end getting more frustrated. Las Vegas likely doesn’t make a trade unless Crosby asks for one, but those thoughts are probably starting to creep into his head.
