Forward Progress - A Chicago Bears Podcast

Episode: Ben Johnson Calls Out Team Leaders
Date: October 27, 2025
Hosts: Dan Bernstein & Matt Abbatacola

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the Chicago Bears’ disappointing loss to the Baltimore Ravens and a consequential post-game press conference in which head coach Ben Johnson pointedly called on team leaders to take responsibility for ongoing mental errors and penalties. Dan and Matt break down the fallout from Johnson's comments, assess accountability for the Bears’ mounting issues, and analyze quarterback Caleb Williams’ development struggles amidst the relentless penalty issues. The episode strikes a tone of frustration balanced with analytical scrutiny, digging into both X's and O's progress and the intangible "leadership" gaps plaguing the team.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Bears’ Penalty Epidemic & Lack of Discipline

• Bears’ recent loss felt particularly disappointing: The hosts note that the team is regressing rather than progressing in important areas like penalties and red zone scoring.
• Injury situation is severe and widespread: “The secondary was more than decimated,” Dan observes, summarizing the impact of mounting injuries ([03:38]).
• Penalty problems reaching a crisis point:
  • Bears have 64 penalties for 533 yards through seven games—average of 9 for 76 yards per game.
  • “The Bears are the seventh most flagged team in football...the fourth most flag team in pre snap penalties” – Matt ([20:45]).
  • Penalized for negative 279 net yards; more than double the next-worst team ([22:11]).

Notable Quote

“If you look down to...the net yards based on penalties, the Bears are the worst in football...negative 279 net yards on penalties, they are the worst in football.” — Matt ([22:11])

2. Ben Johnson’s Press Conference & Accountability Shift

• Johnson publicly challenges the team’s leaders:
  • Calls out lack of “physicality, hunger, and determination.” Implies a shortage of those qualities in his own squad ([14:21]).
  • Explicitly places responsibility for cleaning up mistakes on locker room leaders:

    “I really put it on the leaders there in that locker room to get this ship going the right direction ... Us coaches, we've been pounding that drum now for a while and we haven't gotten the results we wanted. So it's on the leaders here on this team to get us right.” — Ben Johnson ([23:13])

• Dan & Matt analyze the coaching-player-leadership dynamic:
  • Is the issue coaching, messaging, or player execution?
  • Ben Johnson’s message: “That’s a finger, not a thumb.” Dan notes Johnson is pointing at players, not accepting responsibility ([25:50]).

Notable Quotes

“That’s a big deal...That’s a finger and not a thumb.” — Dan ([25:50])
“A coach doesn’t get to do that multiple times in a season.” — Dan on Johnson shifting blame ([24:13])

3. Who Are the Bears’ Leaders?

• Scrutiny over which players Johnson is targeting:
  • Team captains: Caleb Williams, Joe Thuney, Grady Jarrett, Kevin Byard, Cairo Santos.
  • Position vs productivity vs tenure: Are current captains real leaders? Some, like Williams, have not yet established themselves; others (Joe Thuney) are new to the team ([28:09]).
• Disconnect between leadership roles and performance:
  • Matt questions Caleb Williams’ ability to lead by example given his struggles as a rookie QB ([29:52]).
  • Joe Thuney non-vocal; DJ Moore and Cole Kmet have both contributed to the penalty problems.

Notable Quote

“Leadership isn’t just a title. If these are the guys that are your leaders...You have Caleb Williams whose performance on the field ...doesn't demand that type of [leadership] ... DJ Moore, his effort level has been in question all season long...” — Matt ([29:52])

4. Caleb Williams’ Performance & Quarterback Development

• Rubric for QB impact:
  • “Win because of,” “win with,” “neutral,” “lose with,” “lose because of” scale explained to evaluate QBs ([08:25]).
• Williams struggling with timing and reads:
  • Recent game saw “bad mark” for his progression.
  • Dan and Matt dissect Williams’ interception and intentional groundings:

    “A read can be rendered wrong. A correct read can in the blink of an eye be an incorrect read. If you throw it late, it’s then a bad read.” — Dan ([33:59])

• Williams and receiver Loveland not “on the same page”:
  • Issue with “choice routes”; frequency of this excuse is raising alarms for the hosts ([39:18], [40:49]).

Notable Quotes

"Truth be told, I expected a little bit more out of our squad...and so we fell short." — Ben Johnson ([13:17])
“It's very possible, Dan, that both are true, that it wasn't the primary read...it could have been a good read, but not the primary read and it was just a bad ball.” — Matt ([33:37])

5. The "Not on the Same Page" Problem & Play Execution

• Frequent miscommunications between Williams and his receivers:
  • Repeated phrase “not on the same page” is now a red flag for deeper systemic issues ([41:49]).
  • “What the fuck is going on that you're not on the same page?” — Matt ([41:26])
• Details matter:
  • Missed motions, formations, alignments—all reflect coordination breakdowns.
  • Dan: “If the details are off from jump...all of those things have created the problems.” ([41:39])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Injury and Penalty Troubles: [03:38]–[05:44]
• Red Zone Struggles: [04:43]–[05:38]
• Bears’ Leadership & Team Identity: [14:21]–[16:01]
• Ben Johnson Calls Out Leaders: [13:12], [23:13]
• Penalty Statistics Deep Dive: [20:45]–[22:39]
• Debate Over Blame—Coach, Message, or Player: [23:00]–[25:55]
• Who Are the Leaders?: [26:01]–[29:52]
• Quarterback Development Rubric: [08:25]–[10:30]
• Caleb Williams Interception Analysis: [32:08]–[33:52]
• Miscommunications & Play Design: [39:18]–[41:49]

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• Ben Johnson Directly Calls Out Team Leaders:
  • “It’s on the leaders here on this team to get us right.” ([23:13])
• Exasperation over Bears’ Pre-snap & Mental Errors:
  • “Why are we off the same page so frequently?” — Matt ([41:28])
• Honest, Unvarnished Critique of the Bears’ Locker Room:
  • “A coach doesn’t get to do that multiple times in a season.” — Dan ([24:13])
  • “Leadership isn’t just a title. If these are the guys that are your leaders ... you have Caleb Williams whose performance on the field doesn't demand that type of [leadership].” — Matt ([29:52])

Final Thoughts

Dan and Matt’s frustration with the coaching staff's inability to reach the team, the players' execution, and the lack of visible leadership is palpable throughout this episode. The standout theme is Ben Johnson’s public challenge to his veteran leaders, signaling a turning point in accountability. The persistent issues—especially penalties and miscommunications—are diagnosed as much deeper than just X’s and O’s, implicating culture, preparation, and the suitability of current captains to fulfill their roles. Looming over it all is the question of whether the Bears have the right leadership, both on the field and the sideline, to arrest their slide and develop their prized rookie QB.

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