Bears News: Johnson on preparing to face Ravens, game-planning for Roquan Smith

Ariana Pensy · Correspondent · 3 hours ago

CHICAGO - Chicago’s defense has been dominant during its four-game winning streak, with 15 turnovers and allowing 24 or fewer points in all of those wins.

Nonetheless, head coach Ben Johnson is looking for the offense to step up, as pre-snap penalties and other negative plays continue to plague them.

“I think the most important thing is that we’re playing efficient football. Throughout the season so far, we’ve been behind the sticks quite a bit and so whether that’s penalties, whether that’s negative runs, whether that’s sacks … We’re not taking what’s given to us. We’re trying to force something that might not be as easy to get and so, I think as a whole offense, that’s our mission right now is if we can just stay on schedule, stay on track, this thing is going to come to life,” Johnson said. “We got some really talented players in every position room and I would like to just be more efficient as an offense. We’d like to throw more completions. We would like to just continue to move the ball forward and then when we do that, we have to be better in the red zone. I think that’s the other Achilles heel that we have right now. We’re making it down there, but we’re not scoring seven points. We’re just settling for field goals last couple weeks. So, if we do those two things on offense, I think you’ll see improvement.”

The offense will have a favorable matchup against the Baltimore Ravens on Sun. Oct. 26 (Noon / CBS) who have struggled defensively so far this year.

However, Johnson is not letting the Ravens’ 1-5 record fool him. He knows this team is still a contender with lots of talent and will not be an easy game.

“Got a headstart on Baltimore yesterday and it’s a good team. The record really doesn’t indicate what they’re capable of doing. They can put up points in bunches and this defense is always, since (head coach John) Harbaugh has been there, has always found a way to respond. Even last year when they didn’t start off hot, they came back and they finished the season real strong,” Johnson said. “I know coming off a bye week here, they’ll be fresh. They’ll be rested. They’ll be ripping and roaring, ready to go. Coach Harbaugh, I think this is his eighteenth year. He’s only had two losing seasons. So, he knows what he’s doing. So, we got to be on our stuff here this week.”

Perhaps Baltimore’s best player on defense is linebacker Roquan Smith. The Chicago Bears originally drafted Smith in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft before being traded to the Ravens during the 2022 season. Every year he has been with the Ravens, Smith has been an All-Pro and named to the Pro Bowl.

Smith has not played since the end of September against the Kansas City Chiefs, but is expected to play against the Bears this Sunday.

“He is fast. I think that’s what stands out. He diagnoses quickly, see ball, get ball. Sideline to sideline. If our offensive lineman’s responsible for him in the running game, we got to be on our horse because he’s fast and then he finds a way to shed,” Johnson said. “He finds a way to get around blocks and be around the football. So, we’re going to have to do our best to cover him up. It seems like he’s been an All-Pro now for what, five years in a row, I think. Some outstanding number like that. So, he’s playing at a super high level and I know they’ll welcome him back on that defense. He’s going to help them out.”