Ben Johnson’s time in Detroit — a formative experience that led to his current job as coach of the Chicago Bears — was shaped in part by going against Aaron Glenn’s defense in practice with the Lions.
asserted
that → lead → Lions
Johnson remembers it well.
asserted
Johnson → remember → it
“He certainly lights a fire under you,” he said.
asserted
he → light → you
“I still remember to this day being next to him in training camp, and you can hear him.
asserted
you → remember → him
You can hear him.
asserted
You → hear → him
And when the defense makes a play, he lets you know.”
asserted
you → make → play
Johnson goes up against Glenn once again on Sunday when the Bears host the New York Jets.
asserted
Bears → go → Jets
Glenn took over in New York in January 2025, right after Johnson was hired by Chicago.
asserted
Johnson → take → Chicago
Glenn faced their former boss last weekend, losing to 31-24 to Dan Campbell’s Lions in Detroit.
asserted
Glenn → face → Detroit
Glenn recalled planning for practice with Johnson in one of their first meetings after he took over the offense.
asserted
he → recall → offense
“Just having those conversations and seeing how he put things together, and then just talking offensive and defensive football was good to have,” Glenn said.
asserted
Glenn → have → football
“But the one thing, we were so competitive in move-the-ball situations on how we wanted to beat each other, but it made both of us better, I will say that.
asserted
I → move → that
He’s a damn good coach.”
asserted
He → ’ → ?
Glenn and New York are preparing for a Chicago team with an uncertain situation at quarterback, at least publicly.
asserted
Glenn → prepare → quarterback
Caleb Williams is rehabbing a right hamstring injury.
asserted
Williams → rehabbe → injury
Case Keenum passed for two touchdowns in Monday night’s win over Philadelphia, but Johnson hasn’t identified the starter for the matchup with the Jets.
asserted
Johnson → pass → Jets
Chicago also could go with Tyson Bagent, who emerged from the NFL’s concussion protocol on Sunday.
uncertain
who → go → Sunday
Whoever gets the call for the Bears will face an improved Jets defense, directed by Glenn, who was a defensive back in the NFL for 15 seasons.
asserted
who → get → seasons
“You can see how he played the game as a player has translated to how he coaches, and his guys take that same identity as well,” Johnson said.
asserted
Johnson → see → identity
“Like I said, a ton of respect for him and he’s a heck of a competitor.”
asserted
he → say → competitor
Last week: Jets lost to the Lions 31-24; Bears beat the Eagles 27-7.
asserted
Bears → lose → Eagles
Series record: Bears lead 9-4.
asserted
Bears → lead → ?
Wilson is coming off his best game of the season, catching 10 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown in last weekend’s loss at Detroit.
asserted
Wilson → come → Detroit
Wilson was a rookie the previous time the teams played, and he scored on receptions of 8 and 54 yards in a runaway victory for the Jets in 2022.
asserted
he → play → 2022
Johnson has played a role in an impressive turnaround for Chicago’s defense after a rough Week 1 at Carolina.
asserted
Johnson → play → Carolina
Stats and stuff
— The Jets enter with the NFL’s second-ranked defense, allowing 258.3 yards per game.
asserted
Jets → enter → game
— New York has not had an interception in an NFL-record 20 consecutive games.
asserted
York → have → games
The Jets’ most recent INT came in the 2024 season finale, when Ashtyn Davis had two against Miami.
asserted
Davis → come → Miami
— Geno Smith leads the NFL with a 75.5% completion rate, the highest by a Jets quarterback through Week 3 in franchise history with a minimum of three starts.
asserted
Smith → lead → starts
He has passed for 783 yards and four TDs with no interceptions.
asserted
He → pass → interceptions
— Third-year RB Braelon Allen will likely serve as the primary ballcarrier out of the backfield with Breece Hall expected to be sidelined with a quadriceps injury.
asserted
Hall → serve → injury
— Chicago allowed a total of 16 points in the second half of its first three games.
asserted
Chicago → allow → games
— D’Andre Swift has 253 yards rushing for Chicago, and Kyle Monangai has 178.
asserted
Monangai → have → 178
They could become the first duo to each rush for more than 200 yards for the Bears in the first four weeks of a season since Walter Payton and Roland Harper in 1978.
uncertain
They → become → 1978
— Bears safety Dillon Thieneman leads the team with 21 total tackles.
asserted
Thieneman → lead → tackles
He is the only rookie in the NFL with at least 20 tackles, an INT and at least three passes defensed.
asserted
He → defense → tackles
___
AP Pro Football Writer Dennis Waszak Jr. contributed to this report.
asserted
Jr. → contribute → report
The Aporia
