Bears Nightcap: Preseason Opener Provides Plenty of Optimism ...Middle East

While not being able to see Caleb Williams and numerous other Bears starters in today’s preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins may have dampened many spirits, that doesn’t mean there weren’t things to keep an eye on.

Remember the Detroit game last season, the one that served as the final nail in Matt Eberflus’s coffin? The Thanksgiving Day loss to the Lions featured a clock-management blunder by Chicago’s former head coach as the clock wound down with a chance to tie or win the game on a national stage. Eberflus’s time management did him in on that day, but it was far from the only time he made a questionable game-management decision.

Leading up to Ben Johnson’s hiring this offseason, the biggest question was whether he was ready to be a head coach and handle all of the intricacies that his predecessor in Chicago, like clock management, couldn’t during his time here.

Ben Johnson’s Clock Management Was a Refreshing Change

In a chaotic end to the first half, rookie head coach Ben Johnson got his first real test in clock management.

After a quick Dolphins touchdown, backup quarterback Tyson Bagent’s two-minute drill ended with an interception. However, the Bears’ defense got the ball back with just six seconds left. In a thrilling finish, Bagent completed a pass to rookie Luther Burden, who got out of bounds with one second left, allowing kicker Cairo Santos to make a 57-yard field goal successfully.

This play demonstrated Johnson’s ability to manage the clock in a high-pressure situation, a skill that will be a key focus throughout his debut season with the Bears.

Preseason games don’t count, but little details matter, especially for a rookie head coach whose team’s foundation revolves around small details. Seeing Johnson and his group nail one of the little details on Sunday was a refreshing change of pace for Bears fans.

“You always talk about how you end halftime; you want to end with the ball and by scoring points,” Johnson said after the game (via the Chicago Bears YouTube channel). “That was really well done by the whole group.”

Ozzy Trapilo Bests Braxton Jones in Bears LT Battle

While most of the starters weren’t dressed for today’s games, Chicago rotated a few left tackles as they worked to determine who will start there in Week 1 when the Minnesota Vikings come to town.

Braxton Jones started the game and played most of the first half for Johnson’s offense before being replaced by rookie Ozzy Trapilo for the final two drives of the first half. Traplio played two more series to open the third quarter before giving way to Theo Benedet, and eventually returning late in the fourth quarter.

By my notebook, Trapilo had the best performance of the trio today. For what it’s worth, Trapilo finished the day with a 58.3 pass blocking grade at Pro Football Focus, while Jones finished with a 44.3 pass blocking grade.

There was also this lowlight from the incumbent Jones today:

Put in Ozzy Trapilo pic.twitter.com/64QPwTEasy

It seems like Johnson is content with playing this battle out well into August, so we will surely see a time-share like this again next week against Buffalo. As much as I like the idea of the starter being determined earlier rather than later, for the sake of continuity along the unit, I’m fine with Johnson stretching this out as long as the best man truly wins.

It’s a small sample size, but I feel like Trapilo has a real shot at beating out Jones for the starting job before Week 1 rolls around next month.

Noah Sewell and Austin Booker Shine

Chicago’s offense stumbled out of the gate on Sunday, but the Bears’ defense turned in an impressive goal line stand in the first quarter and kept them in the game thanks to a terrific fourth-down stop by linebacker Noah Sewell.

Noah Sewell already has 4 tackles, 3 solo. Also has a TFL and one forced fumblepic.twitter.com/ppEOwyCa7e

“I knew what kind of situation we were in; I was like ‘somebody has gotta step up, might as well, why can’t it be me?'” Sewell told reporters after the game. “I just saw the gap open up and just shot my shot. After that play happened, I just blacked out and celebrated.”

Chicago’s defense may be asked to do what they did today early this season, while Caleb Williams and the offense continue to acclimate themselves to Ben Johnson’s new offense. If Friday’s joint practice with Miami and their preseason contest today are any indication, Dennis Allen’s unit is ready for the challenge.

The defense dominated Miami’s first-team offense on Friday at Halas Hall with multiple takeaways, and the reserves did the same today at Soldier Field. Having depth guys like Sewell and Austin Booker step up will go a long way in making sure the defense can hold things down while the offense goes through a likely adjustment period.

Sewell recorded six tackles (one for loss) and a forced fumble on Sunday. Second-year pass rusher Austin Booker also turned in a solid performance against the Dolphins, logging six tackles (four solo), three sacks, and a forced fumble.

Austin Booker has his 3rd sack which leads to a takeaway!Watch on @NFLNetworkStream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/eMhWhgaCiX

Bears Game Balls

Austin Booker

Booker’s performance in today’s preseason lid-lifter was promising, and if he can be a force this season, Dennis Allen’s defense will be more dangerous than we thought. However, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen Booker shine in the preseason, so I’m not going to get too far ahead of myself on projections for the 2024 draft pick.

Ben Johnson

I probably won’t toss a game ball to a coach often in this space, but today was Johnson’s first time as a head coach on an NFL sideline, even if it doesn’t count in the win-loss record, and he looked the part. Johnson’s clock management was excellent at the end of both halves, and his offense—even as pared down as it tends to be in the preseason—had some promising looks that should excite fans for what’s to come when he takes the top off in a few weeks against Minnesota on Monday Night Football.

Kyle Monangai

The rookie running back took advantage of his time on the field today, rushing for 30 yards on six carries (5.0). Monangai has looked good in training camp, better than I anticipated, and has become a player on my radar for the final two dress rehearsals before the regular season begins.

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