Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson drew sharp criticism after the Green Bay Packers handed his team a 31-7 loss Sunday at Lambeau Field, with analysts pointing to stubborn decision-making as a key factor in the defeat.
Aaron Leming of Windy City Gridiron wrote on X that Johnson’s approach contributed to the outcome.
“I LOVE Ben Johnson. He’s won this team a lot of games since taking over as the HC. That said, the level of hubris shown today has played a big part in why they are getting their asses beat,” Leming said. “The refusal to swap QBs when it mattered. Repeating the same failed calls over & over. The list goes on. Have to take this as a learning experience not to change who you are during big games like this. Let’s hope Caleb is ready to roll for ATL. Won’t be an easy game, especially with this defense coming back to earth.”
The Packers forced five turnovers and limited the Bears, who entered the week leading the NFL in total yards. Tyson Bagent started in place of injured quarterback Caleb Williams and completed 12 of 21 passes for 87 yards with two interceptions before being replaced by Case Keenum.
Keenum finished 11 of 19 for 108 yards with one interception.
Green Bay’s Jordan Love completed 25 of 31 passes for 367 yards and two touchdowns as the Packers improved to 3-2. Both teams now share that record in the NFC North.
The loss came against a backdrop of prior criticism directed at Johnson. Packers left tackle Jordan Morgan said earlier in the week that Johnson’s postgame remarks after last season’s playoff victory still resonated in Green Bay.
“Yeah. I mean, he’s dissing us. He’s dissing the Packers. A lot of people in here, I’m pretty sure, take that to heart,” Morgan said. “And we got a chance to prove to everybody on Sunday that we the best team.”
Johnson had shouted “F— the Packers” and “I f—ing hate those guys” in the locker room following the Bears’ 31-27 wild-card win in January. He has also spoken openly about enjoying the rivalry since taking the job.
Williams remained inactive with a Grade 2 hamstring strain suffered Sept. 20 against the Minnesota Vikings. He partially practiced Friday and completed a pregame throwing and footwork session Sunday morning. Those steps left him on track to return next week against the Atlanta Falcons, barring a setback.
Johnson described the recovery process earlier in the week.
“We got him progressively increasing the amount of running that’s going on, and of course the throwing aspect of it is a big part of his position as well,” he said. “Our guys have a good plan in place and we’re just going step by step with that right now.”
He added that Williams was “right on track” and that monitoring showed no setbacks.
“So far, so good,” Johnson said.
The Bears entered the game at 3-1 after wins over the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets without Williams. Bagent had completed 25 of 34 passes for 268 yards in the Jets victory. Keenum went 24 of 34 for 247 yards and two touchdowns against the Eagles.
Williams threw for 3,942 yards and 27 touchdowns in 2025. Doctors initially projected a three-to-four-week absence after confirming the Grade 2 strain. Johnson has kept him off injured reserve and treated the situation as week-to-week.
The Bears will resume practice Wednesday and evaluate Williams’ readiness for the trip to Atlanta. The short turnaround and a subsequent home game against the New England Patriots on Oct. 22 add complexity to the timeline.
Critics focused on Johnson’s handling of the quarterback situation and play-calling once the game slipped away. The Packers’ defensive performance exposed the limitations of the backups against a motivated opponent.
