In the wake of the Chicago Bears’ dominant win over the Dallas Cowboys, Caleb Williams awarded Ben Johnson a game ball for his first victory as a head coach. Ben Johnson then led the team in a cheer, known as the “Good, Better, Best” cheer. He used it again after the win against the Las Vegas Raiders. If the interwebs are to be believed, the cheer’s phrasing originated with St. Jerome in the 4th or 5th century AD, in Latin it is bonus, melior, optimus. This call for continuous improvement was adopted
by the military, giving the chant its modern phrasing that Coach Johnson used after the game against the Cowboys:
Good, better, best!
Never let it rest!
Until your good gets better,
And your better is best!
Inspired by Coach Johnson, this is the first of a weekly series where I take a look at the good, the better, and the best for the Chicago Bears from this week’s game. Up first is the game against the Raiders.
The Good
If you just look at the box score, mediocre would be the best descriptor for Williams’ 212 yards, 1 TD + 1 INT, 22-37 day in Las Vegas. But beneath those pedestrian numbers is Caleb yet again putting the team on his back in the 4th quarter and putting the Bears ahead. With yet another 4th quarter comeback for Caleb Williams, and this time one that led to a victory, the clutch factor for Caleb has begun to crystallize. Caleb Williams’ quarterback rating in the 4th quarter is his highest for any quarter.
Kyle Monangai had just four rushes, but they went for eighteen yards at a 4.5 yards per carry clip. Coach Johnson is going to evaluate the whole team in the bye week, and the continuing struggles of the Bears’ running game are going to be high on the list.
Rome Odunze had a quiet first half. But he came alive in the second half, capped by an impressive touchdown catch that put the Bears ahead in the 4th quarter of Sunday’s game.
Honorable Mention: It didn’t work because of a face mask penalty against Swift, but the fake flee-flicker illustrates the edge of competition that Ben Johnson continues to have as an offensive play caller. A classic example of his principle of making the same look different and the different look the same.
The Better
Ozzy Trapilo was inactive for the Bears’ first two games, leading to much angst among Bears Twitterati that this second-round pick might already be a bust. Active in the Raiders game and thrust into the right tackle position when Benedet was moved to LT and Braxton Jones was benched, Trapilo showed some real growth. He didn’t win every rep, but facing Maxx Crosby on numerous snaps, Ozzy held his own.
Speaking of Theo, while he struggled with Crosby in his start at right tackle in place of the injured Darnell Wright, once he moved to left tackle, he seemed to recover and play much better. Ben Johnson apparently liked what he saw, as reports indicate that Benedet is going to take over the left tackle position as the starter.
The narrative on Tyrique Stevenson coming out of the Detroit Lions game was that he was clearly a bust. He has responded by posting two of the best games of his career, all while being thrust into the CB1 position due to Jaylon Johnson’s injury. Tyrique had a PFF grade in the Raiders game of 93.3, second on the team’s defense (I bet you can guess who has the top grade).
The Best
Maxx Crosby. I’ve never seen a guy wreck a football game single-handedly like that guy did in the 1st quarter. Nuff said there.
Kevin Byard had a relatively quiet season with the Bears last year in terms of turnovers, something he has been known for in his All-Pro seasons. Well, he is having a revival in that department this season, leading the Bears in interceptions through four games. He picked Geno Smith off twice in Sunday’s game and was a looming presence in the back third all game.
Many may have forgotten it, given the late-game heroics we will talk about next, but the punt by Tory Taylor to the 2-yard line late in the Raiders game was absolutely clutch. The Bears, having been forced to punt on 4th down after a penalty, were behind and desperately needed to pin the Raiders back in order to have a chance at a comeback. Backed up to the 1-yard line (after a penalty moved the ball from the 2-yard line), the Raiders ran the ball to little effect and had to punt from the shadow of their endzone. This led to the next Bears possession starting on the Raiders’ side of the 50-yard line.
Josh Blackwell. From the edge. To win the game. You never block a kick from the edge. It just doesn’t happen. Until he did it. It wasn’t good. It wasn’t better. It was the best:
Now you can wear the moment thanks to our friends at Breaking T! This is the MUST-HAVE shirt for the 2025 Bears season because not only does it have Ben Johnson’s “Good, Better, Best!” but it has several player signatures!
You can get your t-shirt at this link right here.
