After the Chicago Bears’ painful loss to the Los Angeles Rams, head coach Ben Johnson didn’t just accept defeat and move forward. Instead, he publicly suggested that the league should review the game — hinting that officiating and key moments deserved a second look.
Around the NFL, the response was immediate — and brutal.
To many players, analysts, and fans, Johnson’s comments didn’t sound like leadership.
They sounded like deflection.
Rather than demanding replays from the league office in New York, critics argue Johnson should be replaying the film in his own building — starting with his own decisions.
Because when you break the game down, the problems weren’t wearing black-and-white stripes.
They were wearing navy and orange.
The Bears didn’t lose because of one whistle.
They lost because of execution failures:
• Missed blocking assignments
• Broken routes on crucial downs
• Late reads from the quarterback
• And third-down playcalling that collapsed when it mattered most
Those aren’t referee mistakes.
Those are coaching and preparation mistakes.
NFL insiders are already pushing back hard. Multiple analysts pointed out that Chicago had several chances to take control of the game — and didn’t. The Rams didn’t steal anything. They adjusted. They stayed composed. And when pressure arrived, they finished.
That’s what winning teams do.
Calling for league intervention after the fact doesn’t change what happened on the field. It doesn’t erase poor preparation. It doesn’t fix sideline confusion. And it doesn’t turn questionable playcalling into good strategy.
All it does is shift responsibility outward — and that’s a dangerous habit for any head coach trying to build authority in a locker room.
Because players notice.
Great coaches own losses.
Average coaches explain them.
Weak coaches look for someone else to blame.
Right now, Johnson’s words put him uncomfortably close to the wrong category.
If Ben Johnson truly wants progress, the solution isn’t in the NFL’s review office.
It’s in his meeting rooms.
It’s in his film sessions.
It’s in his own accountability.
The Bears don’t need a replay.
They need a reset.
And the NFL doesn’t owe Chicago a do-over.
They owe themselves a hard look in the mirror.