There's a difference between winning football games and being satisfied with how you're winning them. Ben Johnson made it pretty clear Wednesday at a press conference that the Bears haven't reached the second part.
Chicago had some extra time to evaluate itself following its victory over New England. Rather than simply preparing for Seattle, the coaching staff took another look at its offensive tendencies, personnel usage, and the identity it envisioned before the season began.
Johnson explained that the coaching staff has to ask whether the offense has actually become what it expected.
That's a pretty revealing admission from a coach whose team sits at 5-2.
"There's a lot of room for improvement in the running game and in the passing game as well," Johnson said. "I'm not going to divulge, but there's, I think, there's a lot more to be had."
He wasn't talking about a struggling offense that can't move the football. Chicago has shown it can score points and put together productive drives. The concern seems to be whether the Bears are getting everything they should out of the players and concepts already available to them.
And there's a good chance Johnson has identified some things he doesn't particularly like.
Chicago's offensive identity could look different moving forward
Self scouting can be uncomfortable for an offensive play caller. It's one thing to recognize how an opponent defends certain formations. It's another to discover that your own tendencies have become predictable.
Defensive coordinators spend countless hours identifying personnel groupings, down and distance tendencies, and formations that reveal what an offense is likely to run.
If Chicago is consistently showing its hand, Johnson needs to address it before opposing defenses do the work for him.
The running game presents an interesting challenge. Kyle Monangai's absence has forced adjustments to the backfield, and the Bears haven't consistently replicated the rushing production they enjoyed earlier in the season.
Meanwhile, Williams is becoming more comfortable operating within Johnson's passing concepts. He's getting the football out faster, making better decisions, and giving receivers more opportunities to create after the catch.
Johnson specifically praised Williams' improved ball placement Wednesday, particularly on throws designed to generate yards after the reception.
That progress opens possibilities for the offense. Chicago can potentially expand what it asks Williams to do without abandoning the improvisational ability that makes him dangerous.
The trick is finding a balance between structure and creativity.
And judging by Johnson's comments, he's still working on it.
The Seahawks could force Ben Johnson to show his hand
Seattle isn't exactly the opponent you'd choose when experimenting with offensive adjustments.
The defending Super Bowl champions have been particularly difficult to attack through the air. Johnson praised their ability to generate pressure with four defenders while keeping additional players in coverage.
That's a miserable combination for an offense that relies on explosive passing plays.
Johnson also pointed to Seattle's ability to force three and outs, limiting opportunities for opposing offenses to establish any rhythm.
The Bears can't afford to spend multiple possessions figuring out what works.
That's where the additional preparation becomes interesting. Johnson has had an opportunity to evaluate his offense without the usual short turnaround between games. If he identified tendencies that opponents have started exploiting, Seattle could provide the first glimpse of his response.
That doesn't necessarily mean an entirely different playbook or dramatic personnel changes. Sometimes the adjustment is as simple as running a familiar concept from an unfamiliar formation.
Other times, it means changing which players receive opportunities.
Johnson has already demonstrated that he's willing to reconsider his approach when something isn't working.
Now comes the difficult part.
Chicago has won enough games to feel confident about its direction, but Johnson clearly believes the offense has another level it hasn't reached.
If he's right, the Bears could become considerably more dangerous over the second half of the season.
If he's wrong, Seattle's defense will probably be happy to explain why.
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