Ben Johnson Accused of Using Lions’ Old Playbook in Bears’ Blowout Win vs. Bills

But not everyone was celebrating Johnson’s early success. A few of his former Detroit Lions players couldn’t help but take playful shots. On Up & Adams, Amon-Ra St. Brown admitted the Bears’ attack “looked good,” while running back Jahmyr Gibbs joked that it was “funny watching the same plays we ran.”

Johnson, however, pushed back on the idea that his new offense in Chicago is just a Lions retread. In a follow-up interview with Kay Adams, he clarified that what fans saw against Buffalo wasn’t a brand-new scheme, but rather a recycled preseason game plan he has used for years.

“This is the same preseason script I’ve used the last four years,” Johnson said. “So yeah, it’s going to look familiar. We just brought it back, and the players are executing at a really high level.”

The Bears’ head coach will get an early chance to prove just how much his Chicago offense differs from what Detroit saw when the two teams clash in Week 2 of the regular season. Considering how explosive the Bears looked while running a simplified playbook, the potential of Johnson’s full scheme is even more intriguing.

Unlike his time with Jared Goff in Detroit, Johnson now has Williams — a completely different style of quarterback — along with a new group of weapons to build around. While some plays may resemble old concepts, fans should expect Johnson’s Chicago offense to carry its own unique identity this season.