Bear Digest

Ben Johnson not the only one being missed by Week 2 Bears opponent

The Bears will face the Lions in Week 2 and while everyone blamed the new Detroit offensive coordinator, a key part of their team underperformed in the opener.
Gene Chamberlain|
Jahmyr Gibbs found little running room against Green Bay's defense and there could be a weakness for the Bears to exploit in Week 2.
Jahmyr Gibbs found little running room against Green Bay's defense and there could be a weakness for the Bears to exploit in Week 2. | Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Something became very apparent for the Bears regarding their Week 2 opponent in Sunday's easy 27-13 Green Bay Packers win over the Detroit Lions, beyond the fact the Lions are going to miss Ben Johnson.

Their fans were howling about their coordinator on social media and the legitimate media seized upon this but there's more at work.

It is difficult to gauge how much an offense loses when someone as detail-driven as Johnson leaves but he didn't line up on the field.

Detroit's biggest loss became more apparent than ever when they couldn't run the football against a Green Bay defense that gave up possibly its best run defender in Kenny Clark by trading for Micah Parsons.

The Detroit offensive line keyed its success on the ground for the last two seasons and is 60% different than it was last year. It's a fact few talked about in the offseason while complaining or whining about their loss of their coordinators and several other coaches.

With Frank Ragnow retired, Kevin Zeitler gone in free agency and Graham Glasgow moved to center, the tackles are the only stable parts to a line everyone had been calling football's best. All-everything tackle Penei Sewell can only fill one uniform.

The Lions might eventually get better coaching from new offensive coordinator John Morton but the question the Lions will face when they play the Bears is whether the offensive line interior of new starting guards Christian Mahogany and Tate Ratledge, and Glasgow at a position he has played only about 40% of the time is going to work.

Gervon Dexter, Andrew Billings and Grady Jarrett could have a golden opportunity going to Detroit for Game 2 on Sunday.

The Lions might not like the game plan they get from Morton but he doesn't do the blocking. Morton committed to the run early like Johnson used to do in Detroit, and it didn't work.

They had 16 rushing attempts by halftime and only 48 yards to show for it, then gave up on the run as the Packers began pulling away. They had only 46 yards rushing for the game but it wasn't for lack of trying.

Parsons got his Packers sack but it was in the last few minutes with the game long decided.

The run defense against a disorganized-looking bunch of blockers made the difference.

And now the Lions face another problem. Their best cornerback, Terrion Arnold, left with a groin injury. Afterward, Dan Campbell had nothing good to report.

"It was enough (for him) to not come back, so we'll see," Campbell told reporters.

A Lions team hurting in the secondary and struggling to run the ball would be an inviting target for a Bears team either trying to rebound from a Monday night loss, or in the rare position of trying to stack wins.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.