Ben Johnson and the Bears got humbled and humiliated in a lopsided loss

The Chicago Bears didn’t just lose 31–7 to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. They were exposed. Embarrassed. Humbled in a way that cuts deeper than a bad box score or a rough afternoon at Lambeau Field.

Many Bears fans thought the Bears would get an emotional boost in the same week in which former Bears head coach Mike Ditka passed away suddenly on Friday. They expected the Bears to impose their will on a mediocre Packers team. Instead, they got a 3-hour horror show, bringing back memories of countless embarrassing losses from the days under Marc Trestman, John Fox, Matt Nagy, and Matt Eberflus.

For all the trash talk Ben Johnson directed at Matt LaFleur dating back to last season, he entered Lambeau Field and got run off it in humiliating fashion. LaFleur responded the way great coaches do: not with words, but with a blueprint that shredded Chicago’s defense and suffocated its offense.

LaFleur schooled Johnson much like Brian Flores and the Minnesota Vikings did several weeks ago. Johnson is now 2-6 against the NFC North. This wasn’t just a loss. It was a brutal beatdown.

Backup QB Tyson Bagent was terrible, completing 12 of 21 passes for 87 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. After throwing his second pick, Johnson finally benched Bagent for Case Keenum early in the fourth quarter. Johnson’s play calling also did not help at all, with running back D’Anfre Swift getting only 9 carries, and Roschon Johnson was ineffective in place of injured Kyle Monangai.

This was the worst loss of Johnson’s coaching career, not because of the score. But because the Bears weren’t competitive the entire game. If the offense was bad, the defense was even more of a problem. Packers quarterback Jordan Love completed 25 of 31 passes for 367 yards and 2 touchdowns. He kept chucking deep balls, and the Bears’ secondary got beaten over and over again. Veteran Jaylon Johnson looked old and slow. Rookies Dillon Thieneman and Malik Muhammad played like rookies, too.

Johnson’s uncharacteristic on-field struggles and slower tape to start 2026 appear to be a lingering byproduct of trying to fully move past his extensive core/groin surgeries from last season. The Bears might be flirting with a Khalil Mack reunion, but after Johnson’s embarrassing performance, cornerback help should be at the top of the shopping list.

All eyes will be on Ben Johnson now

As Johnson assesses what went wrong on Sunday, he can start by looking at himself in the mirror. While he is an exceptional play caller, when things go wrong, as we witnessed on Sunday and against the Vikings in Week 2, he looks powerless and clueless.

Once again, tight end Colston Loveland had minimal impact, only catching 2 passes for 19 yards. His total in 2026 is 13 catches for 110 yards so far. Despite a plethora of young, talented offensive weapons, the Bears rank 30th in red-zone conversion rate. Yes, the players need to execute. But is Johnson also overcomplicating things with his play calling? Is he his own worst enemy?

Trash talk is fun when you can back it up. It is Johnson’s MO. That’s how he holds himself accountable. Johnson is not going to change who he is even after an embarrassing loss. But Johnson is not without his fault.

Now, all eyes are on Johnson and the Bears. Their biggest rival delivered the kind of beating that lingers long after the final whistle. And the rest of the league will openly root for Johnson and the Bears to fail, just as they did after losing to the Vikings.

If Johnson wants to talk again, he and the Bears need to show up next Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons and get results, with or without Williams.

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