The Chicago Bears waited years to find an offensive mind capable of getting the most out of Caleb Williams. Two games into the season, Bears fans probably didn't expect to hear Ben Johnson pointing toward the weather after his offense managed three points against a division rival.
Chicago's 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings was ugly enough on its own. Johnson's explanation afterward isn't going to make frustrated Bears fans feel much better.
Ben Johnson points to weather after Bears offense disappears
Following Sunday's loss, Johnson acknowledged that the conditions at Soldier Field played a significant role in what unfolded.
“The weather was a major factor of this game. It was a big story of this game,” Johnson said. “Both defensive coordinators did a great job making it very challenging for the opposing offense. And so, I thought that was the tale of the tape. And like I said, when you get into a game like this, that’s where every play is critical. That’s where the turnovers really, really hurt you. And obviously, the blocked field goal really hurts us as well.”
Of course the weather played a role. It rained throughout the afternoon at Soldier Field, and neither offense exactly lit up the scoreboard.
But Minnesota played in the same weather.
That's what makes the explanation so difficult to swallow.
The Vikings didn't need an offensive explosion to win. They didn't even score a touchdown. Minnesota simply avoided enough catastrophic mistakes to leave Chicago with a 9-3 victory.
Meanwhile, the Bears wasted a defensive performance that should have resulted in a win almost automatically.
Chicago held Minnesota to 246 total yards and zero touchdowns. Carson Wentz threw for only 143 yards. The Bears actually outgained the Vikings 297-246 and still found a way to lose.
Rain doesn't explain all of that.
Bears offense has nobody else to blame
The Bears committed seven penalties in the first half alone. A 14-yard completion to Colston Loveland was erased by an illegal shift before a holding penalty and grounding call helped destroy the possession.
Williams also threw an interception. Chicago surrendered four sacks. A late 23-yard field goal was blocked. Williams eventually left with a hamstring injury after completing 15 of 26 passes for only 138 yards.
That's not a weather report. That's an offense repeatedly getting in its own way.
It becomes even more frustrating considering what Chicago did one week earlier.
Johnson's offense opened the season by hanging 59 points and 552 yards on Carolina. The Bears rushed for 291 yards and looked like they might finally have the offensive machine fans were promised when Johnson arrived.
Seven days later, they scored three points.
Going from 59 to three is not something that can simply be blamed on a wet football field.
Ben Johnson deserves the heat after Bears' ugly loss
Johnson was hired because Chicago believed he could solve these problems.
Brian Flores brought pressure. The conditions were miserable. Minnesota made life difficult for Williams. None of that should have surprised the Bears.
Johnson had an entire game to find an answer and never did.
That's why Bears fans aren't going to want to hear much about the rain. Chicago's defense handed its offense opportunity after opportunity while holding a division rival without a touchdown. Asking Johnson's offense to score 10 points at Soldier Field shouldn't be asking too much.
The Bears didn't lose because Minnesota overwhelmed them.
They lost 9-3 because their offense couldn't get out of its own way.
No forecast can make that look any better.
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