Last week, Chicago Bears star cornerback Jaylon Johnson wasn’t very confident in his status for Monday’s season opener. He warmed up before the 27-24 loss to Minnesota, but didn’t play.
On Thursday, he confirmed that was never plan anyway.
“I was never playing,” Johnson said.
However, Johnson had a promising update on Thursday at his locker. If there were a game today, he’d be ready.
“I’d be good,” Johnson said.
That’s a boon for the Bears. The team is preparing to take on the face of the NFC North in the Detroit Lions, highlighted by a Detroit passing attack that requires talent like Johnson to completely stymie.
Even though Detroit’s offense was down in Week 1, the Bears don’t expect it to stay down for long.
Keeping Detroit in check:
The Lions had a dismal Week 1. They fell 27-13 to Green Bay. Detroit’s running game never got going, and the passing game moved the ball when the game was well out of reach.
Quarterback Jared Goff passed for just 200 yards when you factor in the four sacks he took for a total loss of 25 yards. Tight end Sam LaPorta led the team in receiving with 79 yards, while David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs combined for 44 rushing yards
Still, Bears head coach Ben Johnson said he expects an improved Lions team in Week 2 compared to Week 1. Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen sees the improvement manifesting in the number of weapons the Lions have.
“There’s a lot of weapons that they have,” Allen said. “It’s hard on every single play to think we’re going to be able to take everybody away. We just have to play good team defense. We have to do a great job at tackling and in particular, tackling in space.”
Gibbs is utilized in both the run and pass game, and is who is on the Bears’ mind when they mention tackling in space. Gibbs is tough to bring down. He had the seventh-most broken tackles among NFL players in 2024 with 21 broken tackles on rushing plays. He had four more broken tackles after receptions.
That’s challenge No. 1.
Challenge No. 2 is defending the Lions’ receiver combination of Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.
Brown is a steady receiver over the middle. He had the second-most receptions in the NFL last season with 115, and is unshakable over the middle. Williams is a burner who had 1,001 receiving yards and averaged 17.3 yards per reception. Williams had an 82-yard reception for a touchdown against the Bears’ last year.
In defending those two, Bears’ defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator Al Harris said he’s preached to the Bears’ defensive backs room a simple message: Follow the game plan and do what you do.
“We’re going to do what we do and they’re going to do what they do,” Harris said. “DA does a really good job of trying to take away weapons, so we’re just going to continue and do what we do. Limit the big plays. Play hard.”
Jaylon’s return:
What will help the Bears is Jaylon Johnson’s return. He was questionable for Week 1 vs. Minnesota but didn’t play. He was cleared to practice and worked out before the Vikings game, but was inactive.
“It was just a workout,” Johnson said. “For me, just going through the position drills, I felt good doing it.”
Johnson anticipates being back on Sunday, even as he’s designated with a calf injury that he suffered in he ramp-up process. Johnson isn’t concerned with the calf injury. Linebacker TJ Edwards could also be back. That would go a long way in creating depth for the Bears’ at outside corner, which didn’t exist on Monday Night Football when the defense took the field for most of the fourth quarter without much respite.
These are two defensive players that bring veteran leadership and sound play to the Bears’ defense. That’s needed vs. Detroit, especially if the Bears expect the Lions to roar back in Week 2.
“For me, it doesn’t change too much,” Johnson said. “Just because you’ve had one down game or first week, it doesn’t really mean too much.”