Last year Ben Johnson turned play-action into a cheat code in Detroit — so lets lok at how his core schematic pillars froze linebackers, crunch the numbers that powered a league‑best PA attack, and pinpoint the personnel that made it all click. Then, predict the blueprint on how Chicago’s own OL, QB, backs, and receivers can adopt — and adapt — each piece of that system. We’ll walk through the installation timeline, practice emphases, potential roadblocks (and Johnson’s fixes), and even forecast the Bears’ scoring jump. Buckle up — this is the play-fake masterclass you didn’t know you needed.
The Schematic Pillars: What Johnson Actually Draws Up
Before we break down the five core elements, here’s the gist: Johnson’s play-action isn’t throwing in a fake here and there — it’s a finely tuned machine where alignment, motion, protection, and route design all scream “run” before flipping the switch to the pass.
- Under‑Center Volume
- Detroit lined up under center on nearly 50% of snaps, creating the deepest mesh point and strongest head‑fake possible.
- Importance: Turning his back to the defense forces linebackers and safeties to hesitate over run reads, opening up intermediate windows that turn into chunk gains.
- Layered Misdirection
- Incorporates counters, orbit motions, two‑back offsets, and H‑back inserts to muddy keys.
- Importance: When defenders aren’t sure which gap or threat to follow, they freeze — and that hesitation is all the separation a QB needs to hit receivers cleanly downfield.
- Route Combos That Punish Hesitation
- Yankee (Post + Deep Crosser), Slide/Leak Boots, & Flood off Wide Zone: This trio layers stress across all levels — posts hit the vacated middle, leak boots spring open the flats, and flood concepts stretch the field.
- Importance: Attacking vertically and horizontally — ensuring defenders can’t cheat any zone without yielding big chunks.
- Protection That Mirrors the Run
- Uses guard pulls on counters, split‑zone schemes, half‑roll platforms, and chip help from H‑backs.
- Importance: When pass protection looks and operates like the run game, edge rushers hesitate or hesitate — reducing PA sack rates and giving the QB clean pockets to throw on the move.
- Aggressive First‑Down Play‑Action
- Called on 44% of first‑and‑10 snaps, the highest since 2019.
- Importance: Striking early prevents defenses from stacking boxes or blitzing without fear; it sets the tone that every down is a potential big play.
Detroit 2024 by the Cold, Hard Numbers
Detroit didn’t merely dabble in play-action — they dominated it from wire to wire in 2024. These numbers separate the elite from the also-rans, showing just how far ahead Detroit was. We’ll lay out the league-leading metrics that powered their PA attack and then put Chicago’s 2024 results side by side. By the end, you’ll see the magnitude of the gap and why the Bears must close it in 2025 to compete.
| Metric | Lions 2024 | Bears 2024 | League Rank (DET) |
|---|---|---|---|
| PA drop-back rate | 37% | 17.4% | 1st |
| Under-center PA drop-backs | 207 | 62 | 1st |
| Yards/under-center PA | 9.7 | 6.1 | 1st |
| PA EPA/play | 0.36 | 0.10 | 1st |
| Play-action passer rating | 124.3 (Goff) | 92.1 (Williams) | 5th |
| Passing yards via PA | 34% | 18% | 5th |
Detroit’s Personnel Drivers — and Chicago’s Mirror Assets
Let’s break down the five pillars that fueled Detroit’s play‑action mastery — dominant run blocking, versatile H‑back looks, YAC threats, speed demons, and QB precision — and see how Chicago’s current roster can mirror each one. This table lines up those key enablers from 2024 alongside the Bears’ ’25 fits, showing exactly how each player will help sell the fake, open lanes, and turn play‑action fakes into explosive gains.
| Element | Detroit Asset (2024) | Bears ’25 Fit |
| OL Run Blocking | Penei Sewell & Frank Ragnow | Thuney, Dalman, Jonah Jackson |
| Two-Back Looks | Jason Cabinda (FB) + Gibbs/Montgomery | Smythe (H-back) + Swift/Johnson |
| YAC Target | A-Ra St. Brown (6.0 YAC/rec) | DJ Moore (6.0 YAC/rec) |
| Deep Stretch | Jameson Williams (4.32 speed) | Rome Odunze (4.45 speed) |
| QB Proficiency | Jared Goff (72.4% comp; 124.3 PA RTG) | Caleb Williams (124.8 PA RTG on limited) |
Installation Timeline & Practice Emphases
Today marks the start of Phase 2 — Training Camp — and Johnson is diving straight into the weeds. Over the next few weeks, he’ll weave in his under-center footwork drills, protection installs, and high-volume PA reps to cement the system in the bears’ DNA. The goal is to have Williams and the OL operating in lockstep on play-action from Day 1 of the regular season. Here’s how each phase unfolds to get them there:
Phase 1: OTAs (Spring ’25)
- 150 under-center live snaps/day for Williams.
- Protection call installs (“Lucy/Louie,” “Denver,” etc.).
Phase 2: Training Camp
- Daily 20-minute 11-on-11 PA period vs. base fronts.
- LT rotation stress tests on wide zone sells.
Phase 3: Preseason
- Script first 15 plays: ≥6 PA drop-backs per game.
- Two-minute drill: heavy PA doses to build confidence.
Obstacles & Mitigation
Before you can unleash the full play-action assault, there are a few hurdles standing between schematic perfection and on-field execution. From rookie LT growing pains and Williams’ high-wire deep passing, to new OL chemistry and the absence of a true fullback, these issues could trip up the illusion if not addressed. Below, we’ve listed the biggest potential roadblocks and the fixes Johnson will deploy to keep the Bears’ play-action train on the tracks.
| Challenge | Doom Potential | Johnson’s Fix |
| Rookie LT inconsistency | Edge rush wrecks boot time | Smythe chip, quick sprint-outs |
| Williams’s deep-ball accuracy (45%) | Explosive shots evaporate | Hi-lo doubles, layered post drills |
| New OL cohesion | Mistimed pulls blow the façade | Mandatory dinner-table “teach-backs” |
| No true FB | Less downhill cred | 22-personnel: Smythe + Kmet H-backs |
Forecast: From Dead Last to Contender
Last year, the Bears were a bottom‑feeder when it came to play‑action — calling it on just 17.4% of drop‑backs and logging a dismal –0.05 EPA per pass. But with Johnson’s system now in place, there’s genuine reason for optimism entering 2025. By ramping PA usage into the mid‑30s, shoring up protection, and running Williams under‑center more often, Chicago can flip the script on its offense. Here are the projections they need to hit to stake their claim as true contenders:
| Metric | Bears ’24 | ’25 Target | Why It Matters |
| PA Rate | 17.4% | 33–35% | Matches Johnson’s Detroit usage |
| EPA per pass | –0.05 (27th) | +0.10 (top-12) | Historical lift for his QBs |
| Sacks Allowed | 68 | ≤45 | Boot action buys time |
| PPG | 18.2 | 24–26 | Mirrors Lions jump (19.1→26.6) |
Final Verdict
Ben Johnson’s play-action wizardry in Detroit wasn’t fluke or gadget-ball — it was a meticulously engineered illusion that exploited every defensive weakness. Chicago has the core pieces: interior run blockers, YAC savants, explosive athletes, and an analytics-driven QB in Caleb Williams. The final step is obsessive installation — under-center tempo, protection sells, route combos, chip help, and scripted PA.
The question: Does Chicago have the commitment to theater that Johnson demands? Or will they fumble the fake and leave Williams in shotgun limbo? No more excuses — 2025 is the season the play-fake pays off. Get it right, and watch the Bears go from punchline to contender.
