The Ben Johnson Effect

[Pixote]

There is a fun article on The NYTimes/Athletic about the origin of the chant BJ uses in his post-game locker room sessions.

Some articles on the site are subscriber-only (a cheap subscription for great articles, IMO). Here is a small clip:

Quote

For 12 years, acclaimed country singer Chase Rice and his band have done the same chant 45 minutes before their set. It’s something he learned from his high school football team, A.C. Reynolds, in Asheville, N.C.

Good, better, best
Never let it rest
Till your good gets better
And your better gets best

“It’s a core memory for me,” Rice said. “That was our mindset, man, and it was fun.”

Before Rice’s show in Chicago this past June, the band did the chant. Rice noticed one guest on the tour bus, his former teammate Ben Johnson, smiling.

(BJ and Chase Rice were teammates on the A.C. Reynolds High School football team.)

[adam]

Halftime adjustments exist:
 

 

[Alaskan Grizzly]

1 hour ago, adam said:

Halftime adjustments exist:
 

 

Yeah between that and the heavy focus on the run after the bye, I personally saw times where Johnson would make the adjustments necessary to score.  
 

The first couple of weeks of the season were rough . He tried to gameplan ( I think) more for the passing game.  But for whatever reason Caleb wasn’t quite getting it or he (Johnson) was getting impatient.  I think thar was partially why we didn’t see a lot of the optimal use of the 12 man scheme.  Especially with the top two TEs and moreso this years’ #1 pick.  If executed correctly the zone run offense will work every time.  He had what he needed in Swift and Monangai and turns out good enough players on the oline to make it work.  

We saw a few times as the season progressed where the offense (specially Caleb) struggles in the RZ.   Sure he looks great between the 20s but for whatever reason, with the need to think quicker he locked up a little. There was one game in particular (think maybe the Giants) where Ben called at least on trick play in the red zone that ended up with Caleb catching a TD from Moore that shook things up.  This added another element that opposing defenses had to account for.  Call it a little of the Campbell moxie if you will.  
 

Johnson comes by way of the Parcell’s coaching tree . Having started out with the 2012 Dolphins as an assistant.  Since then he’s added some of Bill Walsh’s West Coast Offense and a hint of the spread offense.  With the WCO you don’t have to have a superstar QB run it, just one that can play within the system.  I think Ben will work to fix the inconsistencies and tics t and hopefully have a more finished product in the coming years.  

[ASHKUM BEAR]

What the Bears 12 man personal did was take Tomlin out of his Defensive game plan.  The game of chess forced the OLB/Edges to cover instead of attack. The Bears came a long ways to get their offense to click, but we are starting to see it come together. Once Caleb figures out his touch on ball velocity and improved accuracy, this offense will be hard to beat. 

Trapilo played a good game against some tough competition. It would be a huge relief if he takes the spot and locks its down for a decade. Newman played for Jonah when he went down and played good as well. 

[adam]

Ben Johnson just outcoached Vic Fangio on a short week. DA had a masterclass with LB5 as his starting Mike. 

The Bears have scored 24 pts, the 11th time they have scored 24 or more. This offense is still a work in progress, yet still putting up those numbers.

[Stinger226]

Also the defense is slowly getting bodies back and they played well today. This could be a fairly tale year but I better wait until we beat the Packers. I may be a couple of games away from declaring a SB run. In two weeks both Edwards and Edmunds should be back . Next week Sewell should be back. 

The best is yet to come. 

[AZ54]

And Detroit is fading.  Each week they get further away from Ben Johnson is another week their offense looks a little less efficient.