Thanksgiving in Chicago used to mean turkey, touchdowns, and tryptophan naps. But in 2024, the Bears served up a charred disaster—a last-second timeout fumble that left fans more bitter than Aunt Edna’s burnt casserole. Enter Ben Johnson, the Lions’ former offensive maestro turned Bears head coach, whose swagger and sharp tongue are already shaking up the Windy City. While he hasn’t mentioned Matt Eberflus by name, his recent quips about clock management feel like a chef critiquing a microwaved meal.

The Bears’ Thanksgiving collapse against Detroit was pure gridiron horror. Trailing 23-20 with 32 seconds left, Caleb Williams took a sack, and Eberflus froze—literally. He didn’t call Chicago’s final timeout, letting 26 seconds evaporate before a desperate Hail Mary fell incomplete. “I like what we did there,” Eberflus insisted post-game, doubling down like a blackjack player on a losing streak. But the front office didn’t budge.

By Friday, he was fired—a turkey carved mid-feast. Johnson, meanwhile, wasted no time flexing his situational IQ. On Pardon My Take, he deadpanned about timeouts: “If you need it, you call it.” That was his answer to Dan “Big Cat” Katz, when Katz teased him by saying, “So you like 30 seconds left kind of scrambling, you got timeout of your pocket maybe call it?” Ouch!

For Bears fans, it’s déjà vu with a twist. History repeats, but this time, Johnson’s here to rewrite it. Meanwhile, the NFLPA wasn’t fooled by Eberflus’ November defense either.

Their 2024 report card ranked him the league’s worst coach, citing his “mismanagement” and refusal to listen to players. “The players’ most frequent complaint was with their former head coach Matt Eberflus,” the report read. “The players felt like he lacked a willingness to listen to the players and the players’ leadership council, and he mismanaged the weekly team schedule.” Now, Johnson’s mantra—“No block, no rock”—isn’t just a soundbite.

It’s a warning. During the Combine, he grilled staffers on game theory over breakfast, studying film like a rookie QB. Eberflus had similar sessions, but players seemed to think of them as corny and outdated. The difference?

Ben Johnson’s track record. In Detroit, he turned fourth-down gambles into art. In Chicago, he’s inheriting a roster that let Williams get sacked 68 times—third-most in NFL history. But just as Johnson settled in, the Chiefs dropped a depth-charge.

Johnson’s O-Line woes deepen after Chiefs’ power move

Kansas City franchise-tagged Pro Bowl guard Trey Smith, snatching Chicago’s top free-agent target. Smith’s $23.4M tag slams the door on a Bears O-line desperate for upgrades. It’s like watching Jordan drain a buzzer-beater. GM Ryan Poles now pivots to Plan B.

Aging vets like Brandon Scherff or draft picks. Neither option thrills a fanbase tired of ‘next year’ promises. Besides, Chicago’s offseason hinges on protecting Williams.

Without Smith, Johnson must channel his Lions magic—scheming around weaknesses. Think Cincinnati’s 2021 fix: Draft Ja’Marr Chase, then rebuild the line. But with three top-41 picks, can Poles land a Day 1 starter? Or will Williams keep scrambling for his life in season 2 as well?

Ben Johnson’s confidence is refreshing. At the Combine, he joked about burning trick plays early. It’s a stark contrast to Eberflus’ rigid playbook. Yet, Chicago’s problems run deeper than play-calling. As Vince Lombardi said, “Winning isn’t everything—it’s the only thing.” For Johnson, the question isn’t if he’ll adapt, but how.

So, what do you think? Will Caleb Williams survive long enough to see success past Year 2? Or is Chicago destined to fry another QB?