Ben Johnson brings success — and enjoyable — again to Bears with equal components technique, management

Anyone keep in mind Matt Eberflus’ postgame victory speeches? Not seemingly. There weren’t lots of them to start with. Bears coach Ben Johnson already has received extra video games at 9-3 than Eberflus did in any of his three seasons on his method to a 14-32 report.

When the Bears did win, nonetheless, the speeches had been drier than reheated Thanksgiving turkey. Eberflus sometimes would return over his pregame guidelines in a fashion far much less charming than the boisterous rallies Johnson has been main.

Eventually, Eberflus’ messages, good or unhealthy, misplaced their taste altogether. The liveliest the locker room acquired underneath his watch was on the finish, when the Bears had been in open revolt at Ford Field final Thanksgiving.

The vibe is vastly totally different underneath Johnson. He has been the electrical energy the Bears badly wanted. Not solely did he are available as among the finest offensive play-callers and quarterback academics within the sport, however his character gave the group a verve it had lacked since firing Mike Ditka in 1993.

Everything about this crew is working higher than it has in years. The offense is cohesive and arranged. Caleb Williams is being coached, not coddled. No one has needed to rant about clock administration. There’s an insistence on precision in follow and video games. The crew has been rewired with dedication. It’s not dreading that it’s going to observe historical past and crumble.

All of that results in the Bears’ greatest report via 12 video games since 2010. They’re main the NFC North and charging towards a return to the playoffs.

Their 24-15 win over the Eagles on Friday shifted all of the playoff math of their favor. The New York Times, ESPN and NFL Next Gen Stats had them as principally a coin flip earlier than that, however now all three have them between 60% and 79% and forward of the Lions.

There’s proof in every single place that Johnson was able to step into this job. That principally speaks to his mind. But the way in which he has communicated from the day he moved into the top coach’s workplace at Halas Hall helped him get a key piece in place: participant buy-in.

“He had better credentials than [Eberflus] coming in, so there was immediate respect,” one participant stated. “[Eberflus] did some things well, but there’s a much better global understanding of the job with Ben.

“When he presents to the group, it’s very clear and all business.”

Johnson has struck a seemingly excellent tone. While Eberflus’ talks got here off as monotonous lectures and Matt Nagy’s earlier than him bordered on high-schoolish, Johnson hits the candy spot of seriousness and enthusiasm.

He’s intense always, good or unhealthy. Some gamers equivalent to broad receiver DJ Moore talked about early of their time with him that he was tough to determine.

It has change into a lot clearer: He’s full-go at all times. If Johnson sees one thing he doesn’t like on the follow discipline, he’s all around the gamers about it. If he sees one thing he loves, like cornerback Nahshon Wright’s strip of Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts on a Tush Push and the Bears’ dominant working sport within the street win over the defending champion Eagles, he’s simply as loud.

He defined his strategy in an interview with the Sun-Times in August, saying, “It can be construed as being overly critical at times, but . . . I [also] embrace those moments when you can speak up and pat guys on the back and say, ‘Hey, when we’re doing it right, look how beautiful this is and how it all comes together.’ ’’

That’s what he’s doing in the victory speeches, and it’s obvious how much the players love it. Each one starts with anticipation as players wait for him to explode with, “Hell yeah,” and dive into the highlights.

“Man, I’m so proud of you guys,” Johnson yelled Friday. “You played your best ball for 60 minutes. Well done.”

He handed out a sport ball to Wright — “Shonny, you played some [expletive] good football,” Johnson stated to roaring applause — and one to the offensive line, which despatched the crew right into a frenzy, after working backs Kyle Monangai and D’Andre Swift mixed for 255 yards and two touchdowns.

“We’ve got a couple of backs that ran their asses off, but let me tell you something: It does not get done without this offensive line,” Johnson stated as he handed the ball to proper guard Jonah Jackson and referred to as the remainder of the starters up.

Jackson advised the crew, “Put it on our back. That’s how we want it,” and closed with, “Let’s get ready to take on Green Bay.”

The Bears go to Lambeau Field on Dec. 7. They haven’t received there in a sport that carried stakes for each groups since 2015.

They can fear about that one other time. Keeping the Bears centered on the current is one other of Johnson’s strengths. They labored too laborious to win in Philadelphia to maneuver on that rapidly.

“I know you guys are hungry for more, right?” Johnson stated. “Let me tell you something: The city of Chicago is hungry, too.”

Then he tore off his shirt, a response to a Lincoln Park sizzling canine stand’s provide to do a giveaway if he did, and flexed. Everyone went loopy. Safety Jonathan Owens put Johnson’s hat again on him backward. As he walked off, the music went to full quantity.

This is what the Bears have been lacking. They have a coach who’s equal components tactician and chief. They have wins. And, lastly, they’ve pleasure once more.