The Chicago Bears hired Ben Johnson for several reasons, but everybody knows the most important one. He knows how to craft a successful NFL offense. He'd proven it over three years in Detroit, morphing the Lions into a juggernaut. His superpower at that time was play calling. The young coach seemed to have uncanny instincts for knowing what to call and when to call it. Defenses never knew what was coming, and even if they did, it didn't matter. Johnson was always a step ahead. Yet what fans never got was actual footage of him at this craft.
That finally changed last Sunday. Johnson was mic'd up by the team ahead of their matchup with the New Orleans Saints. He showed all the hallmarks of a leader before the game, meeting with players to give them encouragement and last-minute tips. However, once the action started, it was all business. You couldn't tell if Johnson was calling plays or giving a quarterly earnings report in a corporate boardroom. No emotion. That isn't what you'd expect from somebody who is often called a maniacal competitor, but it fits with the stories we've heard about him.
Ben Johnson is in total control of his emotions.
That isn't the case with many head coaches who call plays. They get animated and celebrate when things go well. It is part of the game. Ben Johnson seems determined to give nothing away until the game is over. Remember, he spoke to players about body language on the sideline. How you hold yourself can be seen as weakness if you're not careful. It seems as if Johnson takes his own advice, never letting anybody know what he's really feeling. A team that sees its head coach always in control tends to play with more confidence. That is the philosophy. It's hard to argue with it. The Bears have won four in a row.
Outside of that, Johnson's command of the call sheet seems as advertised. He knows which plays to call in which situations, understands the clock, and keeps Caleb Williams motivated with occasional comments. The guy is clearly good at what he does.
