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Ben Johnson is still wrestling with how much faith to place on Caleb Williams’ shoulders in Week 1 matchup vs. Vikings

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Kole Noble | Last updated Sep 5, 2025 2:16 PM ET

The Chicago Bears are days away from facing the Minnesota Vikings in the season opener on "Monday Night Football" and we still have no clear idea what this new offense is going to look like under head coach Ben Johnson.

The Bears have plenty of horses to feed, as Johnson put it, on the offensive side of the ball and the team seems to have a fluid gameplan going into this matchup.

Which isn't a bad thing. In the first true game of the Ben Johnson Era, this team needs to be willing to adapt and adjust on the fly to what's working. But, an initial gameplan still needs to be formulated.

That's the part Johnson is still wrestling with when it comes to how much of the offense he wants to put on the shoulders of quarterback Caleb Williams in the first game working together, with two more practices still ahead before it's game time.

"I think that's why the preparation, what it looks like on the field, is so important. I think we'll have a real good feel as a coaching staff what we're going to get out of Caleb on Monday night with how he approaches the next few days," Johnson said on Tuesday. "And it's going to help dictate how I call the game as well. How much we put the ball in his hands and on his shoulders to carry us through. Everybody on this offense is going to have to carry the load at some point here this game."

Really that's going to be the offensive mindset throughout the whole season, and it's not necessarily a knock on Williams' ability to put the offense on his shoulders.

Johnson has mentioned numerous times now that each matchup is going to be a puzzle to piece together. He's fine running the ball 50 times a game or passing the ball 50 times a game depending on what's working best going into each week.

When it comes to facing Brian Flores' attacking-style defense, taking some weight off Williams' shoulders in Week 1 could be a strong game plan. Flores will be coming after Williams in this game in hopes of making him force mistakes. Leaning into the run game and quick passes to let his weapons carry the offense in this game is a good way to counter that plan.

In other games, or even in parts of this one, Williams can be let loose and put the team on his shoulders. It's going to be a balancing act each week and by no means does it effect the level of confidence Williams and Johnson have in each other.

“I’ve got the utmost confidence in Ben, in his coaching ability, his play-calling and all of that,” Williams explained. “It comes down to being able to execute exactly what he puts out there for us as a team, as an offense. Throughout the week when we’re messing up — which is going to happen — we have to get back in the huddle, redo it, so that when it happens on game day, we go out there and execute exactly what he dishes out for us.”

Tom Brady on the relationship between Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams

pic.twitter.com/8Hiwa8RHT0
— Bears Nation (@BearsNationCHI) September 4, 2025

The important thing is that this relationship stays close together throughout the ebbs and flows of the season without anyone's ego getting poked. Growth between Johnson and Williams is the most important thing for this team in 2025. That growth can only be nurtured on a day-to-day basis and learning from what works and what doesn't on the field.

"We’re going to grow together. This offense is going to grow with him," Johnson added. "There will be some bumpy steps along the way, but that’s OK. That’s the nature of doing it. I feel really good about where he’s at right now, and there’s no reason we can’t win this year."

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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