Bear Digest

Embarrassment of Week 2 lives fresh in Bears' minds for Lions rematch

Ben Johnson's worst defeat came at the hands of his former team and boss, and it's not something they'll easily forget as they face Detroit again Sunday.
Gene Chamberlain|
Luther Burden II can't get away from D.J. Reed in Detroit during the Bears' Week 2 blowout loss.
Luther Burden II can't get away from D.J. Reed in Detroit during the Bears' Week 2 blowout loss. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

On a day when some NFL teams are announcing they'll treat their season finales like preseason games or practices, the Bears have already started bowing their necks for Armageddon on the lakefront.

Never mind that the Eagles plan to coast into the playoffs with subs against Washington in Week 18. Bears-Lions II could be a war, and the fact it's after Detroit has been eliminated from playoff contention matters not.

There is a memory still fresh for the team and coach Ben Johnson from back in Week 2, even if 16 weeks back in an NFL season seems like forever.

"It’s never a good taste when you get beat by that so handily," Johnson said. "The fourth quarter wasn’t even close. So yeah, I’ll leave it at that."

A 52-21 beating by his former team and boss, when Detroit fans were laughing and chanting at Johnson and the Bears is not exactly like a quick obligatory handshake at midfield with Green Bay's Matt LaFleur. It's a lasting memory.

The pain is still there for the Bears and they mean to do something about it.

"It’s early in the season and you’re still getting to know your team a little bit," Johnson said "Being in that locker room after that game and how that felt, you don’t always remember exactly what was said or anything like that, but you always remember how you felt in those moments.

"I know our players do, too."

Linebacker T.J. Edwards called it a case of knowing what happened earlier but being more interested in the future.

"So I think for me we obviously know what happened in that game and we again our focus is this week," he said. "I don’t think we’re really looking at what happened before and what’s done is done.

"I think for us we want to go out there in front of our fans and put our brand of football on tape."

The Bears did use that loss earlier as a rallying point in a manner of speaking. The Bears came out after that embarrassment and gave Dallas a physical beating at Soldier Field, then started winning close games to eventually clinch their NFC North title.

If the Bears want to turn this week into an emotional roller coaster, it's right there for them.

They are coming into this "revenge game," in a manner of speaking, after losing a tough game with San Francisco.

They have bounced back from losses with wins, like the Dallas victory or the win over Cleveland after a loss at the end to Green Bay at Lambeau Field.

"Yeah, I feel like we’ve really just done a good job of staying kind of right in the middle, right?" Edwards said. "Kind of not getting too hot or not getting too low.

"And that’s something to where it kind of just goes with Ben’s messaging every week. He’s been the same. He’s been consistent. So it’s easy for us to kind of follow. But it’s a week to week league, right? So after big wins celebrate for a second and then you’ve got to get back to work, and after big losses it’s no different because there’s another one coming up the pike here next week. So I think we’ve done a really good job of keeping the message the same and guys believing in it for sure."

Besides, Johnson anticipates the Lions to come to Solider Field playing like anything but a walkover opponent. He's experienced enough with Detroit to know what Campbell have his Lions ready to do.
"They’re going to come out here and they’re going to fight," Johnson said. "It’s what they do. It’s going to be a good challenge for us.

"It’s a very good team. This group has talent all over the place. Offensively, their skill positions are absolutely loaded. Receiver-wise they’re fast. The quarterback (Jared Goff) is playing at a super high level. He’s so accurate. You give him a clean pocket he can just pick you apart and then these runners are dangerous, both of them. Defensively, we’ve got a tall task at hand, a lot like we did last week and that’s Step 1. And then their defense, I get it they’ve given up some points over the last few games, but they’re still a very stout front."

One embarrassment in Week 2 was enough, the Bears say. Avoiding one going into the playoffs on their own field is the real goal this week.

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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.