It is impossible to undersell what Ben Johnson is doing right now. The first-year head coach is overcoming one of the worst injury plagues in recent memory, along with other challenges, to lead the NFC North with six games remaining. The Chicago Bears are 8-3, likely two games away from grabbing a playoff spot for the first time in five years. Yet that isn't the craziest achievement he is flirting with. Courtney Cronin of ESPN revealed an incredible stat. Only two teams in NFL history have managed to win eight games in a season with a negative point differential. Just one of them made the playoffs.
That was the Cleveland Browns in the 2020 COVID season. Chicago is now positioned to become the second. Teams in this sort of sport often have the same reputation. They play a lot of close games. Ten of Cleveland's games were decided by a touchdown or less that season. They were 8-2 in those games. The Bears have played seven such games through the first eleven weeks. They are 6-1. What Johnson is accomplishing under such crazy circumstances is nothing short of incredible.
Ben Johnson is doing it mostly on his own, too.
Most of the Bears' success this season comes via their offense, which is 6th in yards and 8th in scoring. While the defense leads the league in takeaways, it's 27th overall in the league. Most of the victories this year came from scoring 24 or more points. That includes five 4th quarter comebacks. While everybody deserves credit for getting the team this far, none of it happens without the leadership and wizardry of Ben Johnson. This is a level of coaching the Bears haven't seen since George Halas.
Time will tell if he can maintain it. At some point, the talent drain will become impossible to mask. The Bears likely need two more victories to secure a playoff spot. They have six games left to get there. The imminent return of reinforcements on defense might be a big help. Johnson no doubt remains focused on only the next game.
