There’s a sour feeling from the Chicago Bears after being swept by the Detroit Lions this season.
“We can’t dig ourselves in a hole like that,” head coach Ben Johnson said after the 19-16 loss to end the regular season. “I was disappointed with the offense as a whole. I let those guys know that. And we’ll be better for it.”
The Lions, despite not making the playoffs, have had the edge over Chicago the past few years. The Bears haven’t held a lead against Detroit since 2023, resulting in losing the past four matchups.
One thing’s been working in Chicago’s favor, and it’s stealing Johnson from the Lions. The Lions’ offense hasn’t been the same without Johnson this season, and as a result, Detroit decided to fire offensive coordinator John Morton after just one season as the team’s OC.
However, the Lions are one step towards finding a replacement whom the Bears should be worried about.
Lions Could Make A+ Move at Offensive Coordinator By Hiring Mike McDaniel
According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, the Lions have reached out to former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel about their vacant offensive coordinator position. Rapoport also mentions how McDaniel is a “top candidate for any open OC job.”
Sometimes, a coach is better as a coordinator than a head coach, and this might be the case with McDaniel. His offensive scheme brings out the best in players, but his inability to win against good teams won’t be as big a factor if he were to be the OC in Detroit.
The Lions, despite failing to make the playoffs, have talented players on offense. With Johnson running the show on offense, the Lions’ offense reached new heights and was one of the most feared offenses in the NFL. They could once again be a feared unit if McDaniel were to be hired as the next OC.
Palm Beach Post journalist Joe Schad also had this to say regarding McDaniel:
“On a personal note, Mike McDaniel treated people around him with respect and humility, including the media. He wanted desperately to help anyone and everyone succeed and reach their best self.”
Ben Johnson Using Valuable Playoff Experience from His Time With the Lions
GettyHead coach Ben Johnson of the Chicago Bears and Head coach Dan Campbell of the Detroit Lions shake hands.
Right now, the Bears have bigger problems than the Lions potentially hiring McDaniel.
Hosting the Green Bay Packers in the playoffs, Johnson plans to use his insight from winning four playoff games as the Lions’ OC to help the Bears secure another win vs. Green Bay.
“When the stakes are higher, you’ve got to focus on the little things a little bit more. And so catching the football when it comes your way, making sure you’re tucking it properly, making sure we play with good pad level, making sure we’re tackling well in space, all of those things aren’t necessarily the most fun to talk about to the casual observer, those tend to get highlighted even more in the playoffs.”
Johnson also had one final message from the Lions’ loss: “We’ll make our connections, and we’ll quickly turn the page. We don’t have to sulk on what happened [Sunday], and they understand that. We talked about that at the end of the game. I think we’re going to be good turning the page, but the things that need to be cleaned up, we’re going to clean up.”
For now, the Bears’ focus is solely on the Packers. However, the Lions could be a force to be reckoned with if McDaniel were to be the team’s OC next season.
Bears Should Not be Happy with Recent Lions, Mike McDaniel News