Bear Digest

Ben Johnson sends mixed signals for using starters against Chiefs

The Bears coach is worried about health concerns and has a padded Wednesday practice planned, but also gave a reason it would be good to give starters time at KC.
Gene Chamberlain|
Ben Johnson, special teams coordinator Richard Hightower (left) and the staff will ponder playing time for the finale.
Ben Johnson, special teams coordinator Richard Hightower (left) and the staff will ponder playing time for the finale. | David Banks-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Moving from an easy Sunday night preseason victory at home to a Friday night preseason finale against the AFC champions needs to be done quickly by the Bears, and probably mostly by their subs.

Coach Ben Johnson wouldn't reveal exact plans after the win over Buffalo but some hints dropped in his presser made it seem they might keep starters healthy and watching Friday at Kansas City.

Then again, there was one Johnson comment afterward that indicated he might get the starters a series or more.

"We take into account the number of reps they're having here," Johnson said.

There were a lot of reps, mostly by backups, of course, because it is still preseason. A total of 39 running plays by the non-quarterbacks and 39 passes thrown is a heavy play count. The Bills had 41.

If they had plenty of reps there would be less need for playing time at KC.

Another factor lending itself to a subs-only game Friday night?

"I know we'll have a good, padded practice on Wednesday," Johnson said. "We need one more of those. Then we'll see what we need to see."

They don't need another of those padded full-contact blood baths like in practice prior to the Dolphins joint practice. Rather, something less violent would be better because what they need to see more than anything else is good health.

  • Cornerback Terell Smith had a knee injury so bad Johnson had to call it that way when it's usually a coach's postgame comment to say they'll learn more about it in a day or so. It was obvious. "Obviously Smitty's was the most concerning of that bunch that didn't look good," he said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with him going forward." Thoughts and prayers are not usually reserved for he'll be back up and running before the next preseason game.
  • Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, Josh Blackwell, Elijah Hicks and Tysheem Johnson missed with injuries, and Zah Frazier has his personal reason free pass, so the Bears secondary can't risk much.
  • Edge rushers Dominick Robinson (ankle) and Austin Booker (knee) both left with injuries, apparently less severe than Smith's was because they weren't carted off the field. But Booker's was a real downer because he had another sack and pass deflection, but then hurt it on a special teams play. After his effectiveness in pass rush, it begs the question why they even had him playing special teams. He limped off a bit to the sidelines and didn't come back.
  • Deion Hankins had a knee injury early after he started at running back because Kyle Monangai, Roschon Johnson and Travis Homer all were already hurt. They might have been forced to go five-receiver sets a lot except Brittain Brown and Ian Wheeler still had enough left to carry them through the game.

Still, there is the one Johnson comment that makes it seem he might just try to squeeze in a few reps for the starters against the Chiefs.

"I thought a big part of what tonight was about was getting our routine down for a home night game, which is Week 1 for us," Johnson said. "I thought our starters did a great job. They understood what the purpose was. They came out and got the job done and did what they needed to do and we got them out of the game. I thought the routine was a big part of it."

The Vikings are the Week 1 night game at home.

The second game is a road game at Detroit. The Chiefs game is a road game. Maybe more rehearsal?

"This would be really the first time we're on the road in a preseason," Johnson said of facing Kansas City. "It's probably good to go through that exercise as well.”

The status of starters and players available will most likely decide who gets into that one last game early, but it's to be watched at practices Tuesday and Wednesday before Thursday's travel day.

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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.