Ben Johnson's arrival turned the Chicago Bears' franchise around. He overcame a slow start in his first year with the organization to lead them all the way to the NFC Divisional Round in just his first year as head coach.
It wasn't perfect. The defense struggled, and Caleb Williams had to bail them out way too often. However, they had an explosive offense, a winning record, and won the divisional pennant for the first time since 2018.
However, as good as that was, it has only raised the bar for his second year with the organization. Expectations are much higher, which is why his underwhelming divisional record has officially become a concern.
Ben Johnson's Bears can't get the job done in the NFC North
Despite being 15-9 as a head coach (including 1-1 in the playoffs), Johnson's Bears are just 2-6 against the NFC North (3-6 if you count the playoffs). That means two-thirds of his losses have come in must-win games against divisional opposition.
Johnson has yet to beat his former team, the Detroit Lions (0-2), is 1-2 against the Minnesota Vikings, and is only 2-2 against the Packers. The Bears have also been outscored 226 to 164 in divisional games. That's not good enough to get the job done in one of the toughest, most competitive divisions in football.
Of course, this doesn't mean that the Bears should fire Johnson or that he hasn't done a great job. He's one of the best offensive play-callers and schemers in the game, but maybe he just gets too in his head when he's going against divisional rivals.
To be fair, he's caught some tough breaks in those games, especially against the Vikings, and he does have an epic comeback win in a win-or-go-home situation vs. the Packers. Then again, you're only as good as your record says you are.
This has been an atypical season. Losing Caleb Williams has obviously changed everything for Johnson and the offense, and the team should inevitably be much better once the former No. 1 pick is back on the field. Hopefully, that will be the case in Week 6 against the Atlanta Falcons.
That said, as much as the Bears will welcome their star quarterback with open arms, his return won't fix everything that must be addressed. This team is trending in the right direction, but it's officially time to put some pressure on the guy calling the shots.
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