NFL experts criticizing Bears' Ben Johnson for not trying 2-point conversion vs. Rams

After Caleb Williams' miracle TD throw, Bears' head coach Ben Johnson opted to merely kick the extra point and force overtime.

Ben Johnson | David Banks-Imagn Images

Led by innovative and gutsy head coach Ben Johnson, the Chicago Bears this season were the NFL's most dynamic and daring team.

Fourth downs. Two-point conversions. Trick plays. The Bears did more than almost any team on their way to the NFC North title and Wild Card win. But then came Sunday night.

Johnson set an aggressive tone early in the Divisional Round game against the Los Angeles Rams at frigid, snowy Soldier Field, bypassing field goals to go for fourth downs three times. Another fourth-down gamble led to an early touchdown.

MORE: Angry Bears fans react to Rams loss with trashed TVs and calls to trade Caleb Williams

The Bears amazingly went for it on fourth down six times in the game, converting three.

Which is why Johnson's decision to go conservative and traditional on the season's most important play was so shocking.

https://t.co/gMrB3mKAqU pic.twitter.com/8jRSqG54XN

— Rob Pizzola (@robpizzola) January 19, 2026

After Caleb Williams' miraculous touchdown throw of his back foot from the 40-yard line to Cole Kmet in the end zone, Johnson faced a decision down 17-16 with 18 seconds remaining. One more gamble. One more risk. The bold Bears needed a two-point conversion to advance to the NFC Championship.

"100 percent they should've gone for two," said ESPN analyst Rex Ryan on Monday morning's Get Up!. "Why? You had all the momentum in the world. Caleb had just took the air out of the balloon with the Rams with that one-in-a-million play. I've watched football for 50 years ... never seen anything like that. That defense was completely on their heels. They're gassed. They're sitting there like 'What the hell are doing?'."

After the game, Johnson admitted he pondered it.

MORE: Ben Johnson's aggressive mindset keeps Bears close against Rams at snowy Soldier Field

“Thought about it. Probably what played a little bit of a factor was our goal-to-go situations hadn’t gone very clean,” Johnson said in his postgame press conference. “Our inside the five plan hadn’t worked out quite like we had hoped. I just felt better about taking our chances there in overtime.”

Instead of trusting Caleb to make one more play, Johnson put his trust in the defense in overtime. In his defense, the strategy worked as the Bears forced a punt before Williams' fatal interception.

Nonetheless, Ryan said the coach and Bears missed the opportunity of a lifetime.

"Ben's the most aggressive guy of all-time," he said. "He went for it a million times in this game. Are you kidding me? Go win the damn thing. He made a mistake, and he'll regret not going for two the rest of his life."

Cole Kmet | David Banks-Imagn Images

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