The Chicago Bears kicked off the Ben Johnson era with a dumbfounding loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night, squandering a two-score lead on their way to an 0-1 start.
Despite heading into the fourth quarter with a 17-6 lead, the Bears gave up 21 straight points to their NFC North rival, and a late comeback attempt of their own fell short in a 27-24 defeat.
After the game, Bears head coach Ben Johnson spoke with the media about the long list of mistakes that led to the season-opening loss:
There were flashes of brilliance for the Bears on both sides of the ball in this game, from impressive throws by second-year quarterback Caleb Williams, to a 74-yard pick-six from Nahshon Wright that made it feel like Chicago was pulling away in the third quarter.
But the defense fell apart in the fourth quarter, and the offense looked completely disjointed, allowing the Vikings to climb back into the game.
Perhaps the most damning stat of the night for the Bears came in the penalty column, where they were flagged 12 times for 127 yards, with multiple calls coming in critical moments that cost them points. By comparison, the Vikings committed eight penalties for just 50 yards on the night.
There's obviously plenty for Johnson to clean up after the way his team finished the game in Week 1, and while there will be some positive signs to take away from parts of this performance, the overwhelming message will be eliminating the self-inflicted wounds that cost them a season-opening victory at home.
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