Accountability was a word in short supply over the past three years at Halas Hall. Head coach Matt Eberflus not only hesitated to hold players to a high standard but would often dodge responsibility himself. When that happened, things go sideways in a hurry. That is how you get a 14-game losing streak in one stretch and lose 12 of your last 13. Players have grown to accept that the work they put in is enough. In the few months he's been on the job, head coach Ben Johnson has realized how deep this rot goes.
After the Chicago Bears were hammered 52-21 on Sunday in Detroit, it was beyond evident Johnson was livid. He started the week with a telling quote:
"There were some plays that we weren't quite as pleased with what that looked like on tape. So we're going to find out this week at practice, who wants to practice hard, and who wants to be a little bit more involved with the game plan going into Sunday."
It felt like a direct jab at guys in the locker room who he felt weren't trying hard enough to win. You'd be sorely mistaken if you thought that was a one-time comment. Barely 48 hours later, Johnson struck again, this time openly stating the Lions played harder than the Bears did.
He wasn't done.
If that quote wasn't spicy enough, Johnson went for the throat with what is probably his best sound bite of the season.
Ben Johnson doesn't care about the players' feelings.
A better way to say that is he has no reason to consider their grievances when you make efforts like the one on Sunday. Jimmy Johnson used to say he graded his players on a curve. Guys who were talented, worked hard, and made plays on Sundays were at the top of the scale. Guys who weren't talented, didn't work hard, and didn't make plays were at the bottom. Ben Johnson seems built the same way. He has no time or patience for players who aren't interested in doing what is necessary to win. He's getting through to them through consistent and direct coaching all summer. Since that hasn't gotten the message across, he's using the media.
Either get your asses in gear or don't expect much playing time moving forward. He doesn't care what you did in previous years or who you were in college. All he knows is this team won five games last season. Johnson is here to change that. If a bloodbath is required to see it done, he sounds ready and willing to follow through.
