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Rich Eisen Shares Theory on Why Dan Campbell Ran the Score Up on Ben Johnson's Bears

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nick Meyer | Last updated Sep 15, 2025 12:22 AM ET

The Detroit Lions beat the Chicago Bears by a score of 52-21 on Sunday in a game that marked the return of Bears head coach and former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to the Motor City.

Johnson, a former resident of Plymouth, Michigan, a little less than a half hour from Ford Field, did not have an answer for new offensive coordinator John Morton's unit as the Lions dominated through the air and on the ground on their way to season win number one.

The Lions' huge advantage on the scoreboard gave Lions coach Dan Campbell a chance to run up the score late in the game.

Campbell opted to go for it on fourth down from the 4 1/2 yard line with a little less than eight minutes on the game clock, resulting a Amon-Ra St. Brown's third touchdown of the day and eliciting a bold take from longtime ESPN anchor Rich Eisen.

Rich Eisen's Campbell Theory

Eisen believes that Campbell ran up the score on his former assistant coach to prove a point: that his team can succeed on offense in a resounding way without Johnson's finger on the button.

"You think Dan Campbell wants to run it up on offense against Ben Johnson to quiet everyone who thinks they can't run it up without Ben Johnson? Because I do," Eisen said in a post on Threads.

Johnson said after the game that Campbell did "what he's supposed to do," and didn't seem to have a problem with him running up the score, although he appeared annoyed by the question.

Monday Night Showcase Beckons for Campbell's Lions

The Lions are on to a bigger challenges with John Harbaugh, Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens next on the schedule for an 8:15 p.m. Monday Night Football Game next week.

The Lions and Ravens have not played since 2023 with the Ravens holding a 5-0 all-time series advantage over their opponents from the NFC North.

Campbell's team handled business in the trenches vs. an overmatched Bears team on Sunday. The Lions' first game against the Green Bay Packers was the complete opposite.

Bringing home a win over the Ravens won't be easy, but Campbell knows his team must keep its edge to maintain its standing as one of the NFL's toughest, and most successful, franchises this season.

Fourth down gambles are par for the course, and hurting the opposing team's feelings is a comon side effect.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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