SHOW / EPISODE

BEN JOHNSON COACH OF THE YEAR?! 👀🐻 | Thieneman DROY Push + NO PARSONS. NO COOPER

21m | Oct 7, 2026

The Chicago Bears are 3-1, Ben Johnson is suddenly one of the betting favorites for NFL Coach of the Year, Dillon Thieneman is entering the Defensive Rookie of the Year conversation, and the Green Bay Packers are heading into Bears week without two massive defensive pieces.

Ben Johnson is currently tied with Klint Kubiak at around +600 for Coach of the Year, with Todd Monken close behind. That rise makes sense when you consider what Chicago has already survived through four games. The Bears have won starts from Caleb Williams, Case Keenum and Tyson Bagent, and Johnson has completely adjusted the offensive formula to fit each quarterback instead of forcing everyone into one rigid system. Pasted text

Against Philadelphia, Johnson trusted Keenum’s quick processing and passing rhythm. Against the Jets, Chicago ran the football 54 times for 232 yards, held possession for almost 43 minutes and ran 89 offensive plays. Different quarterbacks. Different defensive opponents. Different game plans. Same result. Pasted text

And Johnson’s résumé isn’t only about offense. Chicago’s defense allowed 28 total points over Weeks 2 through 4, while Dennis Allen’s unit has become one of the league’s more productive defenses after a rough opening week. Allen deserves the defensive credit, but hiring the right staff is part of being a head coach. Pasted text

Then there’s rookie safety Dillon Thieneman.

Through four games, Thieneman has recorded:

🏈 30 tackles

🛡️ 1 interception

👀 3 passes defended

🔥 At least six tackles in every game

Advanced tracking cited in the episode notes has him allowing only 4 completions on 12 targets for 50 yards, zero touchdowns and a 12.5 passer rating, while also recording no missed tackles in that sample. Pasted text

The challenge?

Safeties almost never win Defensive Rookie of the Year. The last safety to do it was Bears great Mark Carrier in 1990. Thieneman will likely need more interceptions, forced fumbles and splash plays to overcome the statistical advantage linebackers and edge rushers naturally have in award voting. Pasted text

And then comes Green Bay.

The Packers will face Chicago without linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, who tore his Achilles and is out for the season, while Micah Parsons remains on PUP and is not expected back yet. Cooper had already produced 30 tackles and three sacks before the injury. Pasted text

That creates a fascinating matchup against Chicago’s physical running game.

Ben Johnson can force Green Bay’s replacement linebackers to process:

🔥 Luther Burden motion

🧩 Colston Loveland movement

💪 Pulling offensive linemen

🏃 Swift and Monangai downhill

🎭 Play action from identical looks

And while Parsons being unavailable removes one of the NFL’s most dangerous individual pass rushers from the equation, Chicago still has to deal with an aggressive Packers front, Lambeau noise and Green Bay’s ability to manufacture pressure through blitz packages. Pasted text

Haize breaks down:

🔥 Why Ben Johnson has a legitimate early Coach of the Year argument

👀 How winning with three different quarterbacks strengthens his case

🧠 Why Dennis Allen’s success also reflects on Johnson

🏆 What Johnson still needs to prove before anyone crowns him

⭐ Dillon Thieneman’s DROY case

🛡️ Why Thieneman may already be a defensive cornerstone

🧀 How Edgerrin Cooper’s absence changes Bears-Packers

🚨 Why Micah Parsons being unavailable matters for Chicago’s replacement left tackle

🏃 How Swift and Monangai can stress Green Bay’s linebackers

🎯 Why Tyson Bagent has to punish stacked boxes

🏟️ Whether Chicago can impose its physical identity at Lambeau