Ben Johnson Warns Some Current Bears Starters Are In Trouble

When you lose 52-21, there is no explaining things away. That is a colossal beatdown. Head coach Ben Johnson called it a "kick in the teeth." That pretty much describes it. Needless to say, he wasn't happy. Too much about that game leaves a sour taste in the mouth. It wasn't just that the Detroit Lions were at home and had a better roster. There was a clear effort problem in some areas. Guys seemed to wilt as the game got tough. Detroit smelled blood and went for the kill. Johnson didn't mind that. He expected it.

His biggest issue was with his own players. The head coach took time to review the game tape, trying to decipher what happened. He came away with some serious clarity. During his Monday press conference, Johnson made his intentions clear.

"We're going to have a lot more competition. Just what these guys look like when the ball is not in their hands, that's a big deal for us. There were some plays yesterday 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 here going into Sunday."

In other words, every starter on the field was just put on notice. Their jobs are on the line this week. He doesn't care what your status may be. Once you give up 52 points and lose by 31, nobody has any right to feel safe in that locker room anymore.

Ben Johnson needs to put his money where his mouth is.

It's one thing to promise a shakeup. It is another thing to follow through on it. If the Bears trot out the same lineup next Sunday against Dallas, people will find it difficult to take him at his word. Plenty of names on that field in Detroit might need time on the bench. Braxton Jones comes to mind. The left tackle has allowed 13 pressures in two games. A week after running for only 3.1 yards per carry, D'Andre Swift had a brutal fumble in this game. Tyrique Stevenson was victimized in coverage again. Cole Kmet wasn't a big enough factor at tight end. Ben Johnson should start getting some of the young guys, like Colston Loveland, Kyle Monangai, and Shemar Turner, more involved. They all have tons to prove and don't have the stink of the past few seasons hanging over them. It certainly can't get much worse than things already are.