The Bears have found a way to win plenty over the past two months. Friday marked their fifth straight victory and Johnson’s club has won nine of the last 10.
An opportunity defense, which leads the league with 26 sacks, and an offense that capitalizes on late-game opportunities have been the winning formula for the Bears.
Johnson’s rushing attack, which slowed early in the season, has found its footing. Chicago stampeded Philly last week, rushing for 281 yards and two scores. D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai each had 125-plus rushing yards and one touchdown in Week 13, becoming the first Bears teammate duo with 100-plus rushing yards in a game since Walter Payton and Matt Suhey in Week 10, 1985.
The biggest obstacle to Chicago holding onto the top spot over the final five weeks could be the passing game, which comes and goes, along with the accuracy of Caleb Williams. It’s been a rollercoaster season for the second-year captain. There are moments where he looks like a top-5 passer in the league. Next, he’ll sail out a route 10 yards over the receiver’s head despite a clean pocket. In the Philly win, Williams completed 17 of 36 passes for 154 yards with a TD and an interception. Williams has topped the 60% mark just four times this season and hasn’t hit that low mark since Week 8.
Williams is on pace to become the first QB to rank last in the NFL in completion percentage and have his team earn the No. 1 seed since the seeding began in 1975. The last QB to rank even in the bottom 5 at No. 1 was Rex Grossman, who led the Bears to Super Bowl XLI in 2006, according to Opta Stats.
Johnson acknowledged that the passing game needs work.
“There is a number [throws] that we’ve been talking about where we have to be fundamentally correct,” the coach said. “The primary receiver, when he’s open, we want to make sure we meet him. And so, all of our pass catchers, just took care of it today. We need to be more disciplined in the details of our ways. It’s not where it needs to be. Our depth is not always correct. Our steps are not. And so, everyone has a role to play in getting this passing game right. It’s not where it needs to be. We are winning despite our passing game, not because of it. None of us are happy about that right now.”