(670 The Score) Following the Bears’ 27-24 loss to the Vikings on Monday at Soldier Field, first-year head coach Ben Johnson acknowledged his role in a difficult debut in Chicago.
Tuesday brought the opportunity to review the tape of the Bears’ loss and plan for the necessary corrections. Johnson used that chance to assess his own miscues in the loss, identifying several decisions – and indecisions – that he'd like to take back.
Johnson started by pointing to his ill-advised challenge in the third quarter, when he threw the red flag after Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson lost a fumble with his knee already clearly on the ground. The challenge failed, and Chicago surrendered a timeout that it badly needed while trailing by a field goal in the final minutes.
“I thought I saw knees up, and so that’s on me,” Johnson said Monday in a teleconference. “I’ve got to do a better job listening to the guys up top. I get influenced a little bit for the first time with the people around me, and I’ve just got to stay true to the process.
“Those (timeouts) are very valuable, and having that at the end of the game would have been huge for us."
Johnson continued to reflect on his approach in other areas.
"I didn’t think I called a particularly great game," Johnson said. "I could've adjusted a little bit better to the lack of pressure that (Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores) was giving us. I can do a better job there. And then at the end of the game, I felt like we could kick it out of the back (of the end zone). We weren’t able to get that done. In hindsight, I should’ve kicked it out of bounds.”
That kickoff came with 2:02 remaining in the game and the Bears trailing 27-24. With only one timeout left, Chicago wanted to use the two-minute warning as an additional clock stoppage but needed to keep the clock frozen on the kickoff to do so.
Johnson trusted kicker Cairo Santos to boot the ball out of the back of the end zone, which would’ve put the football at the 35-yard line for the Vikings without time taken off the clock. Santos didn't quite have the leg to do so, and the Vikings burned time off the clock with a return. Making it more frustrating for the Bears was that a kick out of bounds on the sideline would've accomplished their goal nearly just as well, as the ball would've been placed at the 40-yard line instead of the 35 with the clock remaining stopped at 2:02.
Johnson estimated the Bears could’ve retained possession with 56 seconds remaining after forcing a three-and-out. Chicago instead started its last opportunity with just nine seconds remaining and backed up to its own 20-yard line.
The Bears squandered a 17-6 lead in the fourth quarter, allowing 21 unanswered points to the Vikings in the loss. Chicago opened the game with a three-and-out on defense and a 10-play, 61-yard touchdown drive on offense, starting Johnson’s tenure with great promise.
But at the conclusion of a disappointing loss, fans in Soldier Field booed and expressed their frustration to Johnson and the Bears.
“That’s the beauty of this city,” Johnson said. “They love their sports. I embrace it. That’s a big reason why I wanted to come here, these people care. They want a good product. They’re desperate for a winner.”
The Bears (0-1) will face the Lions (0-1) at noon CT on Sunday at Ford Field in Detroit.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.