Revisionist criticism of the Bears' offseason recently has focused on Ben Johnson's inexperience as head coach among any number of issues.
Problems. Everybody's got them, even the NFL's best teams.
The voice of the Bears' defense for several years has been cornerback Jaylon Johnson and in an appearance on NFL Network's Insiders he detailed why those who say it's "same old Bears" are wrong this time.
The reason starts with coaches the players truly believe in this time.
"So I think for us it's one of those things where we can trust them, and we really just got to be coachable and then go out there and execute," Johnson told Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero on the NFL Network program.
Johnson had been the player who reportedly stood up to Matt Eberflus after the blown game in Detroit on Thanksgiving and rarely hides his feelings. He always is a good barometer of where the locker room stands.
Accountability was the popular word players used regarding coaches throughout last year, as in "lack of." They definitely don't see this now as these coaches mean business, Jaylon Johnson says.
"So I think just having that accountability, having that staff that's going to come in and really show us the way and almost pull us along and not just (say) 'OK you guys let's go at your own pace,' but no, like, grabbing our hand.
"It's like 'No. Let's go. This is the way that you want to go about playing football.' And, I mean (defensive coordinator) Dennis Allen, (DBs coach) Al Harris, Ben Johnson, they coordinated plays, done all of it, really, at the highest level."
What's especially intersting is how Johnson has bought in because he has been the one who said this offseason that he had to see proof of real change before he was going to be convinced.
The place where this newfound trust starts and is based is the opposite side of the football from where Jaylon Johnson plays. It's with quarterback Caleb Williams.
Johnson said when Ben Johnson came to Chicago and stressed the importance of the quarterback position, it turned his head. This was when their new coach called EPA, expected points added, the NFL's most important statistic.
"I feel like as far as a coach coming out and saying that, that's the first time I ever heard that," Jaylon Johnson said. "I think, too, for him he's just trying to establish a new way of doing things on the offensive side of the ball with, of course I think, the elephant in the room being, I feel like, starting with Caleb.
"And I think, too, one thing I'm really seeing that's different from him is the first day he really came in and was like you win based on your quarterback play."
Jaylon Johnson has been with the team for three coaches and says he hasn't seen a staff really have this proper emphasis on QB until now. He sees Williams responding.
"I feel like it's hard to go from being a Heisman Trophy winner and being able to play a certain style of ball to now, last year, of course not having the structure that was necessary to get him excelling in the right direction," Jaylon Johnson said. "And then now coming in and having a true offensive mastermind, it's going to be new. It's going to be new, it's going to be different, of course. "
Ben Johnson had pointed out how players had to become comfortable with being uncomfortable as things change for everyone, including Williams.
"I think he's really coachable," Johnson said of the QB. "Again, it's going to be uncomfortable because it's going to be different. But I think he definitely has everything that he needs to have as far as the physical makeup, the mental makeup."
New approaches with new staffs generally stir optimism but from Johnson's description of the difference between last year's staff and Ben Johnson, it's obvious they've addressed what has been largely perceived a root Bears problem for decades. That is, emphasizing offense, passing and the quarterback instead of being stuck in the ground game-defensive mentality rut.
A change of that type doesn't happen overnight, and Jaylon Johnson acknowledged this, but the fact even a defensive player sees needed change occurring testifies to how much coaches have already succeeded.
