Bears Think Cornerback Could Have Done More

Cornerback Jaylon Johnson missed an opportunity at a pick-6 for the second straight game against Minnesota.

He actually did make one interception, though, and it can't hurt with free agency approaching after the season.

In Johnson's case, it seems he can't win for losing, though. He made the interception but coach Matt Eberflus didn't like how he returned the football.

Johnson dropped back in zone coverage to the sideline, leaped and picked off a Josh Dobbs throw for Jordan Addison, then returned it 19 yards from the Bears 44 in the second quarter of Thursday's game for his team-high third interception this season.

"The interception should have been a great return, and we've got to really do a good job," Eberflus said.

The Bears, like any defense, have interception returns planned out for where they come on the field and how the blocking should set up. Johnson cut the return back to the middle of the field and was stopped at 19 yards.

"The guys did a good job," Eberflus said. "We know that's a wall return up the numbers. Really good block by Eddie Jackson on the intended receiver (Addison). Everybody knows that you'll block the intended receiver first, right? And he did a really good job with that. And there were a couple of other blocks.

"Maine (Tremaine Edmunds) was in position. (Jaquan) Brisker was in position for that wall return, and Jaylon has just got to take that thing right up the sideline there. You take it up the numbers so you have the ability to bend it and have more space. You’ve got that yards from numbers to the sideline to really create more space for yourself. So that's No. 1. And we should have had it in a better position for our offense."

Johnson was making a play and they have had six other interceptions in the last two games without taking any back. It was their third-longest return of the year. He had a TD return against the Raiders and Jack Sanborn had the longest on the year of 42 yards in a blowout loss against the Chiefs.

The entire play seems little to hand out criticism about considering Kyler Gordon received a 15-yard penalty for removing his helmet when it ended. The helmet was broken and officials will have some explaining to do when the Bears send in a complaint to the league office about this penalty, but it was a penalty called and the Bears didn't get a longer return because of it. So the entire return by Johnson was irrelevant.

If more takeaways are coming, they'll probably be more prepared for returns in the future after all of this. At least you would think so.

No one would even care if they had gone in for the touchdown after the pick. Without the penalty on Gordon their offense would have taken over at the Vikings 37. After the walk-off, they threw two short passes, had a false start and then an incomplete deeper pass. They failed to score after a real gift opportunity.

The offense was into squandering chances all night.

In fact, after their last eight interceptions they have scored six points on two field goals dating back until Johnson's TD return against the Raiders.

On the year, the Bears have 46 points scored following takeaways of both kinds. They have given up 64 points after turnovers for a minus-18 ratio on points after turnovers.

If they had an offense and approach capable of taking advantage of what the defense does give them, then theyy wouldn't be begging for defensive backs to score or admonishing them when they fail to take it back.

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