Bears Head Coach Ben Johnson (Post-Game Transcript)

Opening statement:

“All right, here we go. We have one injury to talk about and that’s [Bears DL Andrew] Billings. He left the game with a concussion, didn’t finish the game. So, we’ll see where he’s at next week. But at the end of the day, just really proud of everybody involved. Short week, we really hadn’t had one of those yet as a team, and I thought the coaching staff did a great job putting a sound plan together. We knew it was going to be a race, trying to get everything in and kind of harping on the guys that the details were going to be the difference here this week, and the team that made the least number of mistakes was probably going to win this game. So fortunately for us, we felt like that fell in our favor. I’m really excited about a number of performances here. Can’t say enough about that running game. I don’t think we win that game if we’re not able to run the ball like we were. Both the backs over 100 yards – was just outstanding. You could feel decisiveness; you could feel them hitting it downhill. They turned on the gas and were lowering their shoulders, too, so that was so good to see. But it doesn’t happen without that offensive line. You can’t say enough about [Bears OL] Ozzy [Trapilo] and [Bears OL] Joe [Thuney] and [Bears OL] Drew Dalman and [Bears OL] Jonah [Jackson] and then [Bears OL] Darnell [Wright]. I mean, those guys, they were huge for us. And so, I’m really proud of them. Really proud of the tight ends, the receivers. It’s a frustrating game if you’re a pass catcher because those conditions were challenging for us to get some consistency going there, and yet they still were a big part of what we were doing there in the run game, and they knew that going into it. So that was huge to see. Defensively, I thought our guys just played their tails off for all 60 minutes and we kind of harped on the importance of getting into these third-down situations.

I think we created a number of those. And if my numbers are right, I think we were four-for-12 on third down, so that was really good to see there by our defense – a couple of turnovers were enormous. [Bears DB Kevin Byard III] with another interception off a quarterback that really doesn’t throw interceptions. And then [Bears DB Nahshon Wright’s] fumble was – I think that was one of the turning points in the game right there. They’re in scoring range and a high percentage play for them, and yet he was able to get the ball away from them. So, these guys just feel pretty good about what they just did. It was hard to go on the road and beat a good team like that, and yet I think they still know we have got to get back to work next week. And so, we were very pleased with where we’re at. We’ll be able to enjoy it for a couple days and then we’ll be right back to work and onto the next one, because that’s where we’re at in this season, but really happy with how this one went today.”

On what message the win sends about the team:

“I think it’s the same message we’ve been sending every week that we’re just going to compete our tails off for 60 minutes. I think that’s what I know about our group. They have a lot of belief in what we’re doing. They have a lot of belief in themselves. They have a lot of belief in this coaching staff. And so that confidence just starts to develop and continues to bubble over. So, I think we have a really confident group right now and we’re excited for these next five games.”

On the team’s ability to remain in the moment:

“I think that’s, once again, that’s credit to the coaching staff, just trying to keep the main thing the main thing. I think it’s a credit to our leadership, too. We got guys like [Bears DL] Grady Jarrett and [Bears DB Kevin] Byard [III] on defense, and I know [Bears OL] Joe Thuney, these guys all know what good football looks like, and they know the consistency that it takes to continue to win in this league. It’s easy for those young guys to come to work every day and just look at how these old heads are going about their business and just kind of fall in line. It’s the same thing. There’s no secret, man, there are no shortcuts. We’ve got to go out next week and put in the same amount of work that we’ve been doing and we’ve got to continue to get better. We’re still not at what we’re capable of being yet as an entire team, and so we’re going to continue to strive to put that full 60 minutes of three phases of complete football together. These guys continue to get better each and every week, and I’m really proud of it.”

On Bears QB Caleb Williams’ play in windy conditions:

“Yeah, off the cuff, it felt like the wind got the better of us on a couple throws. He made some huge winds down the stretch there. That throw to [Bears TE] Cole [Kmet] was enormous. He’s rolling out to his left to be able to throw a dime like that at that point in the game, I thought that was really big for us. It’s a struggle there, you’re trying to not become just solely run-oriented because then the defense is going to adjust. You want to keep that element of a pass threat over the course of the game. I was hoping we’d hit a couple more just to loosen them up a little bit more and keep that run game going. So overall, I thought he did a good job just keeping the operation going. That was something that we were really harping on this week, was just making sure we were getting in and out of the huddle clean.”

On calling Bears TE Cole Kmet’s touchdown late in the game:

“Well, that’s one that just presented itself. [Bears RB D’Andre Swift] is actually the number one read on that, and as [Bears QB] Caleb’s [Williams] pulling on out, you can feel the safeties dipping down low. And so, I think he felt that he saw it and he delivered a good ball and it made them pay. So that was good.”

On calling plays with two running backs playing well:

“I think we had a good amount of volume for such a short week in terms of the run game, the number of formations and concepts that we had up. Our guys handled it really well going into the week. And as a play-caller, like I said, it’s that balancing act. If you hang with something a little bit too long, then all of a sudden, you’re looking at a third-and-long and wondering why the drive stalled. And so, I look down, I see 36 attempts and I’m like, ‘Well shoot, I probably threw it. I called too many pass plays this game.’ Especially with how we’re running it. So that’s an area that I can be better at, too.”

On what the fumble recovery in the third quarter, followed up by a Bears RB Kyle Monangai big run, meant for the game:

“Yeah, no, I mean we always talk about getting that first, first down and not necessarily thinking it’s going to be an explosive run like that, but that was a huge one at that moment. We were still on our side of the field, pretty backed up and that got into midfield and really ignited us as a whole team. That was great to see and I think [Bears RB Kyle Monangai] played his tail off. So did [Bears RB D’Andre] Swift and I can’t say enough good things about our offensive line here today.”

On whether the fumble recovery on the tush push was something they spotted during the week that might have been a vulnerable spot:

“Yeah, yeah. I mean, we certainly wanted to be sound in how we were defending that play and the compliments off of that play, and we were hopeful to have opportunities to get the ball there.”

On what it meant to have Bears DBs Jaylon Jones, Kyler Gordon, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson together especially on third down:

“No, I thought it was huge. Third down was when they were all out there together for sure, and then other times we’re kind of platooning those guys, but it was just great to get their feet wet. I’ll be curious to see what that tape looks like. I mean, there’s a couple good receivers for Philly out there on the field, so I can’t wait to see how tight that coverage was. I think it’ll be a good stepping stone for us to build upon going forward here.”

On the fourth-down play to Bears TE Colston Loveland:

“I mean, where we were on that field, I didn’t feel great going that direction, kicking it, and it just is a gut feel sometimes on those things and how comfortable I am with the play calls. So, I felt pretty good in that circumstance.”