Ben Johnson Defends Dan Campbell After Question About Lions Running Up Score on Bears

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson didn't take it personally when his former team scored a touchdown while up big in the fourth quarter on Sunday.

As the Detroit Lions dismantled the Bears 52-21, Lions head coach Dan Campbell opted to go for it on fourth and goal rather than taking the field goal. Johnson knows as well as anyone that Campbell isn't the kind of coach to take the easy points.

"What's he supposed to do? It's fourth and goal," he told reporters. "Yeah, he could've kicked the field goal, they don't kick field goals. They go for it. He was doing what he was supposed to do. That's what he does."

Johnson spent the last few seasons as the Lions' offensive coordinator, where he helped turn Detroit's offense into one of the best in the NFL. Naturally, when last year's coaching carousel began, Johnson was going to be at the top of most teams' lists.

He ultimately decided to move on from the Lions and took his first head coaching gig with the team's division rival.

While taking a promotion to a head coaching job is a completely understandable move, several members of Detroit's squad came into the game fired up to beat their former offensive coordinator.

"Very motivated," safety Brian Branch told reporters. "We knew coming into this game that this is personal. Really, all these games are personal. But this one was just—we felt like we've been betrayed from staff to players. We love Ben. We still love Ben. He's a great coach and he's a great mastermind, but yeah, it was time to get after him."

Johnson's first few weeks as a head coach haven't gone the way he would have hoped. He and the Bears appeared on their way to a win in Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, but couldn't hold off a comeback and lost 27-24.

After the narrow loss in Week 1, Chicago was no match for the Lions, who were led by 334 passing yards and five touchdowns from Jared Goff.

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Johnson will look to get his first win as a head coach next week when the Bears face the Dallas Cowboys.