The Chicago Bears got absolutely embarrassed in Week 2. Chicago got blown out 52-21 in Detroit in the most lopsided game of the week. It is safe to say that Bears fans expected more from Ben Johnson's return to Detroit.
Chicago is already 0-2 on the season, with both loses coming against NFC North rivals. That puts the Bears into win-now mode with games against the Cowboys, Raiders, and Commanders on the horizon.
But what exactly went wrong in Detroit? And who is most to blame for Chicago's 0-2 start to the regular season?
Below we will explore who is most to blame for Chicago's brutal loss against Detroit in Week 2.
Caleb Williams, Bears offense had too many turnovers in Week 2
Caleb Williams was not Chicago's biggest problem on Sunday afternoon. But he made a handful of poor plays that contributed to Chicago's offensive meltdown.
The most egregious of those plays was an interception that Williams threw in the second quarter.
The second-year quarterback tried to make something out of nothing on a 2nd and 32 play. Williams avoided a potential sack from Aidan Hutchinson and heaved an ill-advised throw seconds later.
Caleb overshot his receiver by almost 10 yards, resulting in a diving interception by Lions safety Kerby Joseph.
Ultimately it became one too many turnovers for the Bears to handle.
That's because D'Andre Swift lost a fumble in the first half and the Bears failed on a pair of fourth-down attempts.
The combination of all of these missteps caused Chicago's offense to come to a screeching halt. They managed a few more touchdowns on the afternoon, but they were already helplessly behind on the scoreboard.
It must be concerning for Bears fans to see these offensive woes after bringing Ben Johnson in to fix that side of the ball.
Chicago does not need to completely fix things overnight. But the pressure is certainly on the Bears to improve ahead of Week 3.
Bears defense could not stop anything against the Lions
Defense is written into the DNA of the Chicago Bears. But they weren't able to stop a nosebleed on Sunday.
There are multiple factors coming together to contribute to Chicago's woes on defense.
To start, the Bears brought in Dennis Allen at defensive coordinator this offseason. A new coordinator means a new scheme, which creates a learning curve for veterans and rookies alike. It obviously plays a role in Chicago's defensive struggles.
The Bears have also suffered some significant injuries that we need to recognize.
Pro Bowl CB Jaylon Johnson reaggravated a groin injury in Week 2 and will likely miss the rest of the season. He had previously missed all of training camp, the preseason, and Week 1 with the same injury.
On top of that, the Bears have been without nickel corner Kyler Gordon. That puts a lot of stress on Chicago's depth players in the secondary.
To make matters worse, linebacker T.J. Edwards left the game early with a hamstring injury of his own.
Give credit to Detroit's offense for scoring 52 points. But that is not an excuse that Chicago's defense can hide behind.
Chicago's coaching staff needs to come up with some solutions quickly. If they don't their defense could hold them back for the entire season.
Ben Johnson has yet to change Chicago's culture, provide schematic advantage
It is too early to make any sweeping generalizations about Ben Johnson. But it is clear that he has his work cut out for him in Chicago.
This new Bears team has been incredibly undisciplined and sloppy on both sides of the ball through two weeks. Frustratingly, the issues are primarily on the offensive side of the ball.
Chicago had 12 penalties for 127 yards and one turnover against the Vikings in Week 1.
The Bears continued their sloppy performances in Week 2. They had eight penalties for 50 yards, two turnovers, and those two failed fourth-down attempts I mentioned earlier.
All of those mistakes set Chicago hopelessly behind against a team that can score at will. That is always a recipe for disaster in the NFL.
Perhaps more troubling is that Johnson has yet to show off a truly unique offensive scheme. So far, the Bears do not appear to have a tactical advantage with Johnson running the offense.
Johnson promised not to sugarcoat anything as Bears head coach, especially when things are going wrong. This appears to be a core pillar of the new culture Johnson wants to build in Chicago.
Now is the time for Johnson to put his money where his mouth is.
Bears fans should remain patient with Johnson, as he is only two games into his head coaching career.
But perhaps now is a good time to reevaluate the expectations for the Bears during the 2025 NFL season.
