Lions Week 2 preview: Breaking down Bears’ offensive, defensive schemes

The Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears will face off in Week 2, the second divisional matchup for both teams. Bears coach Ben Johnson spent the last six seasons on Detroit’s coaching staff, the most recent three as their offensive coordinator. Johnson has intimate knowledge of the Lions’ personnel and tendencies, while coach Dan Campbell has served as a mentor over the last half-decade of Johnson’s career.

So, will this friendly relationship between coaches give one an advantage over the other? Probably not, according to Campbell.

“I think we’re on equal playing ground, really,” Campbell said of his and Johnson’s familiarity with each other. “I think it’s the same thing. He knows what we’re about, we know what he’s about, and because of that, you’re going to play that game a little bit.”

Let’s re-familiarize ourselves with Johnson and take a closer look at the coaching staff he has assembled in Chicago.

Bears head coach: Ben Johnson

NFL coaching seasons: 14th season
Head coaching seasons: First
Influences: Dan Campbell, Zac Taylor, Darrell Bevell, Mike Martz, Adam Gase, Mike Sherman, Bill Lazor
Playcaller: Johnson calls the offensive plays

Offensive coordinator: Declan Doyle

NFL coaching seasons: Seventh season
Offensive coordinator seasons: First
Influences: Sean Payton
Key staff additions: Antwaan Randel El (WR coach, assistant head coach), J.T. Barrett (QB coach), Eric Bieniemy (RB coach)

Johnson’s West Coast offensive scheme

Passing game: West Coast, Modern pro-style
Running scheme: Multiple, Gap and Outside zone
Staples of scheme:

• Primarily 11 (54.2%, 21st in NFL) and 12 (32.2%, third) personnel in 2024 with Lions
• Run-Pass balance
• Play-action
• Pre-snap motion
• Bunch formations
• Ball placement is a premium
• Reliance on yards after catch (YAC)
• Designed WR/RB screens
• Check downs to RBs
• Run draws on third-and-long
• Willing to go for it on fourth down
• RBs and TEs chip block

Weaknesses:

• QB accuracy is essential
• Run game sets up the passing game
• OL discipline

Scouting notes from Week 1:

• Personnel Week 1: 11 (42.86%, 27th) and 12 (39.68%, fifth)
• Caleb Williams’ scrambles are part of the offense and are effective
  • Six attempts for 58 yards (career highs) and a touchdown
  • Reached 20+ miles per hour on two of his six attempts
  • Vikings had good angles on him, but failed to square up/settle to make a tackle
• Williams struggled with accuracy, especially as the game wore on
  • -13.2% completion percentage over expectations; Worst in the NFL in Week 1
  • For comparison: Goff’s CPOE in Week 1 was +8.3%; fourth best in the NFL
• Offense struggled in non-scripted plays
• Offense is still learning the timing of pre-snap motion
• Pre-snap penalties: four false starts in the first half
• OL still gelling – gave up 19 pressures in Week 1 (23 in total), per PFF
  • LT Braxton Jones: 6 pressures allowed
  • LG Joe Thuney: 4 pressures allowed
  • C Drew Dalman: 4...