A big part of their success was suffocating 49ers quarterback Trey Lance. He finished the day 13-of-28 for 164 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. People have blamed the bad weather for the performance, but the reality is that the Bears defense made him uncomfortable all game. He was fired twice and pressured countless other times. While some in the media are confronting Lance after what happened, Johnson is not one of them. His quote to Josh Schrock of NBC Sports Chicago was less than flattering. “What do you think he did? He doesn’t give a shit. We had him play quarterback. We know he hurt us in his footwork and everybody knows at some point he’s going to run and make a play. But I feel like we really had to get him to play quarterback. Like I said, he’s still young and I think he’ll end up being a good player for them. But it’s early. He has to pass it. I feel like we did exactly what I said. Make him prove himself as a general.” That line should sound strangely familiar to Bears fans. Johnson and the defense knew Lance was a big threat with his feet. So their goal was simple: to keep him in the pocket and make him hit them with his arm. That’s the same line former Green Bay Packers cornerback Tramon Williams used three years ago to describe Mitch Trubisky. “We wanted to get Mitch to play quarterback. We knew they had a lot of weapons, we knew they were dangerous, we knew all these things. But we knew if we could get Mitch to play quarterback, we’d have a chance.” Johnson basically called Lance a Trubisky-type quarterback. This has to sting for 49ers fans. They had it rubbed in the faces of Bears fans for years after they had Chicago trade up in 2017 to get Trubisky 2nd overall. The great irony is that San Francisco gave up a lot more to get Lance last year. If Johnson’s comment is true, this could go down as one of the worst picks in modern NFL history.
Jaylon Johnson isn’t afraid to speak his mind.
The corner has always had unbridled confidence. This is a common trait for top NFL players. Although he may seem quiet and reserved at first glance, don’t be fooled. He has a poisonous mouth when he chooses to use it. Lance was just his latest victim. Johnson won’t give respect to anyone who hasn’t earned it. If the kid wants to shed Trubisky’s label, he’s going to have to get a lot better at “being a quarterback.” One thing is certain. The Bears are happier than ever that San Francisco chose to pass on Justin Fields. He was much more poised and in control during the game. Neither the weather, nor the wild pass of the 49ers broke him. He weathered the storm, regrouped and drove three straight second-half touchdown drives to win the game. Jaylon Johnson had to love that. He feels like Chicago might have a complete team. There is a long way to go. Winning one game isn’t going to prove anything in the NFL. If this team wants their respect, then they should get it. Johnson probably won’t have the same words ready for Aaron Rodgers next Sunday night. Post Views: 1,143
