DETROIT (670 The Score) — When the Bears last gathered postgame in the cramped visitors’ locker room at Ford Field, a mutiny occurred. Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson and other key veteran players turned on then-coach Matt Eberflus, who was fired a day after an abysmal loss to the Lions on Thanksgiving last November.
On Sunday, the Bears were back in that same locker room with nobody to blame but themselves. They were blown out by the Lions, losing 52-21 at a raucous Ford Field. Chicago first-year head coach Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit – where he was on staff for the prior six years – was a debacle for his new team and a reminder that the Bears are a long way from achieving the type of lasting success they envision.
"You lose a game like that, man, it's a kick in the teeth,” Johnson said. “Nothing about that feels good.”
The Bears’ embarrassment Sunday came in the form of surrendering 52 points and 511 yards to the Lions. The 52 points were the most the Bears had allowed since the Packers scored 55 on them on Nov. 9, 2014. A defense that seemed like it could be a potential strength in Chicago is instead a glaring weakness.
Sunday was a terrible day for the Bears – and especially for fourth-year general manager Ryan Poles. The pummeling from the Lions exposed that even a highly regarded head coaching hire can’t immediately turn around a poor roster.
The Bears’ inactives Sunday included rookie offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo and rookie defensive tackle Shemar Turner, a pair of second-round picks in April. Second-year offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie, a third-round pick in 2024, was also inactive. Rookie tight end Colston Loveland and rookie receiver Luther Burden III, the Bears’ top two draft picks this year, combined for one catch for five yards.
Poles’ plans for sustained success were built around drafting and developing young players, but the Bears don't even trust many of their top picks of recent years to put on a jersey on game day.
A defense that Poles has built was picked apart by the Lions. The 511 yards the Bears surrendered were the most they'd allowed in a regulation-length game since they allowed 514 in a 54-11 loss to the Eagles on Dec. 22, 2013.
"We come out the next week," Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds said. "We don't have a choice. Put our head down, continue to work, believe in one another and get back to the drawing boards."
After three years of rebuilding, the Bears still seem so far away from contention. Meanwhile, the contract extension that Poles signed on July 11 seems to be even more perplexing now.
The Johnson honeymoon period is over, and the high hopes that the Bears held just seven days ago are already in trouble.
“It’s a long season,” Bears veteran left guard Joe Thuney said. “It’s September still. You got to come back, learn from it, pick up, keep working each week, day in and day out and stay the course. It’s a long season, and there’s plenty of games left.
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams had an uneven performance Sunday, going 19-of-30 for 207 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He was more efficient than he was in the season opener before backup quarterback Tyson Bagent took over in the fourth quarter of the blowout.
If the Bears reach the playoffs this season, they'd represent an outlier. Since the NFL expanded to 14 postseason teams in 2020, only four teams have reached the playoffs after starting 0-2.
As Johnson addressed the Bears in the visiting locker room Sunday, he spoke of his belief in his team.
“We got 15 more games,” Williams said. “It's the first two games, and there's been on multiple occasions, teams that rally back and go on a run. That's where we're focus on. To do that, you got to focus on the next one. This game's over. They scored a bunch of points. We didn't score nothing. That's typically how football works. You don't score enough points. When you go out there, you tend to lose a game. And so being able to move on to the next game, next play, whatever case may be, is where we're focused. We all believe and know each other.
“We just got to keep believing, keep pushing and not let anything divide us or anything like that. We got to keep going. It's on two games, and we got to keep moving.”
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.