ABOUT THIS EPISODE
The Chicago Bears are 3-2 after a brutal loss to the Green Bay Packers, and the questions around Ben Johnson, the offense and Chicago’s place in the NFC North are getting much louder.
On today’s episode of Chicago Bears Central, Haize breaks down whether Ben Johnson was outcoached after Chicago managed only 246 total yards, 81 rushing yards, 3.6 yards per play, seven points and FIVE giveaways in Green Bay. The Bears were also shut out in the second half after entering the game as the NFL’s top rushing team. Pasted text
The Bears entered the matchup averaging 196.3 rushing yards per game, but Green Bay held Chicago to just 81 yards on the ground. D’Andre Swift finished with 43 rushing yards and Chicago’s only touchdown, while Roschon Johnson and Luther Burden struggled to create much production on the ground. Pasted text
So where was the counterpunch?
Haize examines whether Green Bay exposed a flaw in Johnson’s offense or whether Chicago simply didn’t have the quarterback execution necessary to punish the Packers once the run game disappeared.
🔥 Then the Bears-Packers rivalry gets PERSONAL.
After the game, Zaire Franklin publicly accused Luther Burden III of quitting after Burden had talked before the matchup about making Green Bay quit.
But Burden finished with four catches for 47 yards, leading Chicago in receiving, and still caught multiple passes late in the fourth quarter after the game was essentially decided. That makes the “quit” accusation a lot more complicated than the headline suggests. Pasted text
And finally...
🚨 Are the Bears already in NFC North trouble?
Chicago sits at 3-2 overall but 0-2 inside the division, while Minnesota is 5-0 and both Green Bay and Detroit are 3-2. Chicago has already lost head-to-head games against Minnesota and Green Bay, creating an early tiebreaker problem even with plenty of football remaining. Pasted text
Haize discusses:
🏈 How much blame belongs on Ben Johnson
🚨 Why five turnovers can’t be dismissed as “just quarterback play”
🔥 Whether Green Bay actually solved Chicago’s rushing attack
👀 What Caleb Williams’ eventual return can and cannot fix
😳 Zaire Franklin accusing Luther Burden of quitting
💬 Burden’s response and whether the criticism was fair
🐻 Chicago’s 0-2 NFC North start
📊 Whether the Bears should still be viewed as division contenders
⚠️ Why the margin for error has already gotten smaller
🔥 What Chicago must prove over the next four games
Chicago still has 12 regular-season games remaining, including four NFC North matchups, so the season is nowhere close to over. But through five weeks, the Bears haven’t shown enough consistency to simply assume another NFC North title is coming. Pasted text
🎙️ Chicago Bears Central brings Bears fans daily news, analysis, reactions and debate with Haize.
🐻 SUBSCRIBE and join the conversation!
Podcast Links: https://linktr.ee/ChiBearsCentral
Get at us:
Email: ChicagoBearsCentral@gmail.com
Twitter:@ChiBearsCentral
Phone: (773) 242-9336
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
