In addition to jabbing Packers coach Matt LaFleur, saying he loved beating him twice a year, new Bears coach Ben Johnson indirectly criticized predecessor Matt Eberflus by saying he thought the Bears would’ve been better than 5-12 this season.
“I felt like this place was a sleeping giant,” Johnson said. “I was more concerned about the Chicago Bears than anyone else in this division. Now, there is a number of reasons why that did not unfold, which is why I’m here.”
General manager Ryan Poles said that was a “great” compliment of the roster, but “also frustrating because of what happened.”
Many expected the Bears to do better than 5-12, and they appeared to have momentum at 4-2 after beating the Jaguars in London. It turned out to be a mirage, though, and they lost 10 in a row.
“I’ll get to the bottom of that,” Johnson said of the underachievement. “We will see if we can get that corrected and cleaned up. But I was very encouraged with what was already on the roster right here.”