The Chicago Bears can turn Sunday’s trip to Green Bay against the Packers into further proof that their offense can withstand an injury to starting quarterback Caleb Williams (hamstring). Tyson Bagent is expected to make a second straight start behind center, and a road win would validate head coach Ben Johnson’s confidence in a backup he is willing to empower aggressively. It also demands cleaner ball placement after the New York Jets came close to creating more turnovers last weekend.
Locked On Bears host Lorin Cox said Johnson’s comfort with Bagent comes from the quarterback’s quick decisions and command of the system. Cox pointed to Johnson’s willingness to use unconventional personnel packages with a reserve quarterback, including a goal-line look that moved right tackle Darnell Wright and used wide receiver Rome Odunze as a lead blocker. The point was not simply that Johnson trusts Bagent to avoid mistakes; it was that Chicago can keep its full offensive menu available.
Cox also described Johnson’s handling of the previous week’s quarterback decision as a sign of his confidence in the room, saying Case Keenum took the first snap last week after news involving Bagent leaked before the team’s announcement. That anecdote does not change the matchup, but it illustrates the latitude Johnson believes he has earned with his backups. Bagent will receive the starter’s practice reps, Cox said, a meaningful advantage as Chicago prepares for a road rivalry game without Williams.
The Jets tape offers the Bears a necessary warning. Cox said four Bagent throws either became interceptions or created interception chances that were erased by the situation, including a free play and a pass affected by defensive holding. Cox framed the problem as placement rather than reckless decision-making, but the distinction matters less if Green Bay converts one of those opportunities into a short field or a momentum swing.
Locked On Packers host Peter Bukowski called the game a must-win for Green Bay, arguing that a home loss to a backup quarterback would deepen pressure on Packers coach Matt LaFleur and his locker room. That is the opening Chicago can exploit: Bagent does not need to duplicate every element of Williams’ game, but he can make the Bears harder to dismiss if he protects the ball, operates Johnson’s offense on schedule and helps extend their recent success without their starter.
Johnson’s backup-quarterback gamble will be judged less by its creativity than by Bagent’s efficiency. If Chicago avoids the turnover-worthy throws that surfaced against the Jets, the Bears can leave Green Bay with a rivalry win and stronger proof that their offense has not stalled while Williams recovers.
Bears News and Notes
– Running back D’Andre Swift did not return after fumbling against the Jets, Cox said. Chicago did not need him to finish that game, but his role bears watching against a Packers defense that will try to force Bagent into obvious passing situations.
– Cox called the Bears defense improved but not fully fixed, citing its ability to limit points and create turnovers while still allowing damaging rushing production and explosive plays. That tension makes field position and Bagent’s turnover avoidance especially important in Green Bay.
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