LAKE FOREST, Ill. (104.3 The Score) — Bears quarterback Caleb Williams believes his team’s 59-point, 552-yard effort in a win against the Panthers in the season opener will be its worst performance of the year. That isn’t lip service by any means.
Williams' tone is matching the incredibly high standards set by head coach Ben Johnson for the Bears, as they're both pushing for all-around excellence and attention to detail. In the mind of Williams and Johnson, the Bears could've scored even more points last Sunday if they'd had a clean performance.
Like Johnson, Williams views the Bears on a climb toward the ultimate goal of perfection. They recognize that isn't attainable, but it's what they'll strive for each week.
So after their big win in the opener, it was quickly on to the next one for the Bears – a matchup against the Vikings (1-0) this Sunday at Soldier Field. The scoreboard has reset to zeroes.
“We haven’t put up any points this week,” Johnson said when asked of the Bears’ mindset.
So, how many points will the Bears post in Week 2? Can Chicago enjoy a 60-burger this time around? If Johnson and Williams have their way, anything is possible.
The Bears offense's sensational performance in the opener was accompanied by an intensely driven mindset. The Bears truly weren't satisfied despite a historic performance. With that attitude, anything is possible.
"You couldn’t be happier with the intent (the players have) come to work this week,” Bears offensive coordinator Press Taylor said. “It’s easy to sit there and say, 'We scored 59, we’re pretty good.' I think the guys understand what’s ahead of us and in the NFL how fine that line is.
“It’s a fine line, and it worked in our favor scoring points. But I think our guys understand that no week carries over. They’re not going to let us bring any of those points from last week to this game."
Johnson has set his sights on the work of the Broncos back in 2013, when Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning led a prolific offense that set records. Denver averaged 37.9 points (the most in modern NFL history) and 457.3 yards per game (second in NFL history). The runaway MVP winner, Manning threw for 5,477 yards and 55 touchdowns. Those Broncos never reached 59 points, but they surpassed the half-century mark three times.
As the Lions’ offensive coordinator in 2024, Johnson led an offense in Detroit that averaged 35.2 points per game. He’s trying to recreate that type of success now in Chicago.
Johnson doesn’t just want to win football games – his goal is to dominate them.
The Bears are capable of having the No. 1 offense in the NFL, the type of high-octane unit that lights up the scoreboard each time out. Historic achievements are realistic with a pairing like Johnson and Williams that's intently driven to be the best.
For all the Bears put on display in their 59-point performance, it was just the beginning. To a man, they truly believe they'll only get better.
Emma’s prediction (1-0): Bears 30, Vikings 24
In Week 1, I nailed my prediction in selecting Bears 24, Panthers 21 – granted, that was early in the second quarter of the game. We have to recalibrate how to watch Bears games with so many points set to go on the scoreboard. Thirty could seem like a disappointment of sorts after the opener, but it’s enough for the Bears to get to 2-0.
Chris Emma covers the Bears and the Chicago sports scene for 104.3 The Score.
