Instant Reactions: Bears offense, Caleb Williams explode in Ben Johnson’s first win

CHICAGO — Four touchdowns to four different receivers, including a 65-yard flea flicker to rookie Luther Burden. That’s the type of offensive output everybody within the Bears organization envisioned when bringing Ben Johnson from Detroit to Chicago last January.

For the first time under the direction of Johnson, it clicked for the offense and quarterback Caleb Williams.

At halftime, Williams had already thrown for 239 yards and three scores. He completed his fourth in the third quarter to DJ Moore — their first connection for a score this season.

Rome Odunze added his fourth touchdown grab of the year, and Luther Burden waltzed into the end zone on a 65-yard flea flicker that completely fooled Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus’ unit.

It was the exact type of day the offense needed after Ben Johnson leveled up the intensity of practice at Halas Hall over the last week.

The defense’s effort can’t be overlooked, either.

Dennis Allen’s group allowed 52 points in Detroit a week ago. But turning things around in the NFL is all about having a short memory. That goes for Tyrique Stevenson, too, who easily had his strongest performance of the season.

Tremaine Edmunds intercepted Cowboys QB Dak Prescott twice in Sunday’s win. The Cowboys mustered just one touchdown against a defensive unit that had allowed 73 points in the past five quarters entering Sunday.

Bears 31, Cowboys 14

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Adam Hoge

Bears fans got to enjoy the full Ben Johnson experience Sunday. Trick plays, “01” personnel and the guts to go for it on 4th and goal at the 4-yard-line. Johnson was in his bag calling plays, but Caleb Williams also continued to take a huge step forward.

While there were a few inaccurate throws, Williams was in command of the offense and looked very comfortable at the line of scrimmage. With Matt Eberflus on the opposite sideline, Ben Johnson left no doubt he was the right hire for this job.

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Adam Jahns

You can preface the Bears’ win if you want to. The Cowboys’ defense is one of the worst in the NFL, and their offense lost receiver CeeDee Lamb early on to an ankle injury. But what the Bears did against Dallas is still notable. They beat a bad team but so what?

The Bears looked significantly better for most of the day. Instead of taking a step back against Matt Eberflus’ defense, quarterback Caleb Williams torched his former head coach. Williams looked comfortable in Ben Johnson’s offense in his third start.

Sure, the Bears’ flea-flicker touchdown to rookie receiver Luther Burden III helped as a spark, but Williams still threw a perfect deep ball to him after an errant pitch back from running back D’Andre Swift. The Bears’ defense also rebounded after its awful showing last week in Detroit against the Lions. It got the stops that Eberflus’ unit could not and the takeaways he so desperately cravess.

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Mark Carman

I hate to make this Bears celebration about me, but hey, there were very few of us that believed this team could pull off a victory after starting 0-2. Congrats to me and Greg Braggs for picking the Bears and congrats to Ben Johnson to getting his team ready to play today.

The Bears played like their season was on the line — because it likely was. Caleb Williams got better for the second straight week. Johnson dialed up the run game to wear out the Cowboys and the clock in the third quarter and then Caleb stamped it with a 4th down touchdown pass to DJ Moore. The season is back alive after a very impressive wire-to-wire Bears win. 1-2 never felt so good.

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Patrick Norton

Just as a blowout loss like the one the Bears endured last week can lower expectations, a performance like the one against the Cowboys should raise them, even slightly. Caleb Williams wasn’t perfect against Matt Eberflus’ defense, but he was clearly seeing the play develop better than possibly ever at the NFL level.

That was an all-around inspired effort. You have to wonder if the opportunity to stick it to their former coach on the opposite sideline had anything to do with that. Spinning it forward and into Las Vegas next weekend is an important challenge, but one the Bears should have a bit more swagger walking into now.

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Greg Braggs

We got a damn head coach. And because of that, we have a damn quarterback. Offense absolutely balled out and put all the explosiveness on full display. But today Ben Johnson found the balance. Found the run game. Found the misdirection. Found the execution of the details.

Yes, Dallas has a bad defense. But the Bears needed to prove they can be good. Not for 1 quarter. Not for one drive. But for a whole game. And they did that. Just an impressive day. And it should make every Bears fan excited for the future. Not just for this year, but for years to come. Enjoy this one, Chicago. That felt good.

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Stephen Nicholas

A career high-tying 4 TDs for Caleb Williams. Luther Burden III’s first career TD ON A FLEA FLICKER! Rome Odunze’s NFL-leading fourth receiving TD in just 3 games. Wow, this offense had it all today. And then we look at the defense. The most important play of this game may have been Tyrique Stevenson stripping the ball from Javonte Williams on the Cowboys first possession. THAT’S the ‘next man up’ mentality the Bears needed to win this game!