Bears Trench Notebook: Playing Ben Johnson Football

The Bears are no longer relying on one thing to win football games, as Ben Johnson keeps unveiling new layers of the offense. Caleb Williams continues to elevate everything around him, and Dennis Allen’s defense suddenly has a game-changing interior presence. Meanwhile, the offensive line remains one of the most reliable units on the roster. Most importantly, it all appears connected. This is really starting to look like the football Ben Johnson envisioned when he took the job.

Jeffrey Simmons is Already Changing The Entire Defense

The Jeffrey Simmons trade changed what Dennis Allen can call, and against Seattle, Bears fans got an early glimpse of what that means. Throughout the game, Simmons lined up everywhere. He rushed from the interior and from wider alignments. His presence created opportunities for everyone around him.

The sack early in the game served as the perfect introduction. Lined up over right guard Grey Zabel, Simmons immediately collapsed the pocket before Seattle’s routes could develop. There isn’t an answer for that type of disruption. That’s what elite interior defenders do: erase plays before they have a chance to exist.

Just as importantly, Simmons repeatedly forced Seattle’s protection to account for him. That opened opportunities for players like Montez Sweat, Grady Jarrett, Austin Booker, and Daniel Hardy to operate in more favorable situations.

The scariest part for opposing offenses? This felt like a simplified version of what Dennis Allen ultimately wants. Chicago largely allowed Simmons to line up and win. As he gets more comfortable in the system, expect Allen to get significantly more creative with games, stunts, simulated pressures, and pocket manipulation. The possibilities should start to emerge this week against Tampa Bay.

Dennis Allen’s Third-Down Defense is Menacing

One of the most fascinating parts of the film review was revisiting Seattle’s third-down struggles. The Seahawks finished just 1-for-11 on third down. Dennis Allen consistently forced Seattle into difficult decisions.

At times, the Bears showed blitz before dropping defenders into coverage. Other times, they threatened pressure from unusual locations before rushing fewer defenders than expected. The personnel usage was particularly fascinating, with Cam Lewis aligned everywhere, Daniel Hardy dropping into coverage, and Kyler Gordon frequently threatening pressure before bailing out.

The result was a defense that repeatedly forced Sam Darnold to process information after the snap instead of before it. Allen’s willingness to live on the edge remains one of the defining characteristics of his coaching style.

There was even rationale behind the touchdown allowed late in the first half. This isn’t to say they allowed a touchdown on purpose; that would be insane. But Allen wants offenses to remember those calls, even the ones that didn’t work out for the defense. He wants quarterbacks thinking about them later when looking at similar fronts pre-snap. Because once that doubt gets introduced, similar looks become significantly more difficult to diagnose as the game progresses. And at the end of the day, this Bears team needs a defense with bullets in the chamber late in the game more than early.

Seattle won a few individual battles, but the Bears controlled the war. That’s becoming a theme with Allen’s defense.

Caleb Williams Is Unlocking New Layers Of Ben Johnson’s Offense

The biggest offensive takeaway was the continued expansion of the playbook. Every week Ben Johnson seems to reveal another wrinkle.

This week, there were empty formations, more RPO-style concepts, and motion packages built directly off concepts shown earlier in the season. There was even a Wildcat flea-flicker variation that sounds more complex than it looks and may have pulled on some old-school double wing concepts we saw earlier in the season.

The common denominator in all of it is Caleb Williams. Ben Johnson clearly trusts his quarterback to handle enormous amounts of information before and after the snap. Throughout the film, Williams repeatedly changed protections, identified favorable looks, and got the offense into better situations. Several examples showed him making pressure irrelevant simply because he processed the picture faster than the defense expected. That, Bears fans, is something to be very excited about.

Jonah Jackson Keeps Dominating

At some point, we need to stop being surprised that Jonah Jackson is playing outstanding football. Seattle presented one of the more difficult challenges the Bears have faced this season. Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy are among the NFL’s best defensive tackles, and both created problems throughout the game.

Jackson still stacked excellent rep after excellent rep, with his zone blocking remaining especially impressive. There was a reach block in the second half that should be shown in offensive line meeting rooms across the country. The footwork, leverage, hand placement, and finish were all textbook examples of how outside-zone football is supposed to look.

The consistency might be the most impressive part. Last season, Jackson delivered plenty of impact plays but was more up and down throughout the game. This season, the floor has risen dramatically. Week after week, he’s giving the Bears quality football. If that continues, All-Pro conversations will be justified.

Theo Benedet Has Become A Real Answer (pending injury)

I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect to be writing this section a few months ago. Theo Benedet continues to exceed my expectations. The arm length concerns that followed him into the NFL haven’t disappeared. They still show up occasionally, particularly against longer edge rushers who can win first contact. But his technical development has been remarkable.

His pass sets are cleaner, patience has improved, and proactive hand usage continues to evolve. Most importantly, he looks increasingly comfortable operating within the offense. On a rep against Derek Hall, Benedet perfectly executed a snatch-trap, leaving the EDGE rusher in the dirt. That’s coaching and player development. Moreover, that’s a player putting in an enormous amount of work. Theo Benedet and Dan Roushar both deserve credit. Hopefully the shoulder separation Benedet suffered in the game doesn’t significantly impact his play.

Garrett Bradbury Had A Tough Assignment

Garrett Bradbury spent much of the game staring at one of Byron Murphy, Leonard Williams, or Jarran Reed. That qualifies as a rough day at the office. There were several snaps where Murphy, in particular, stressed Bradbury’s limitations. A few oversets led to immediate problems. A few power situations became losing battles faster than anyone would like.

At the same time, context matters. This isn’t an average defensive interior. It’s arguably one of the best defensive tackle combinations in football. While the negative reps were noticeable, there were positive ones too. Bradbury had several clean pass-protection wins. He handled Jarran Reed effectively on multiple occasions and contributed to some of the Bears’ better rushing plays.

This game wasn’t a disaster for Bradbury. It was simply a reminder that he remains the most attackable player along the Bears’ offensive line. Good defensive coordinators know it, and teams will continue challenging him. The Bears need enough wins from him to keep the offense operating, and they largely got that against Seattle.

The Bigger Picture

What stood out most about this game was the accumulation of answers. Seattle took something away, then the Bears adjusted. When pressure arrived, Caleb escaped. The offense needed explosive plays, and Ben Johnson had another wrinkle ready.

When the defense needed a game-changing moment, the newly energized defensive line delivered one. The Bears aren’t winning the same way every week anymore. That’s what makes this version of the team feel different. They’re physical, creative, and adaptable. Most importantly, they’re forcing opponents to react to them. That feels a lot like the football Ben Johnson imagined when he arrived in Chicago.