Ben Johnson reacts to Lions running up the score on Bears

After a week full of talk and anticipation over Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit to face the Lions, this time as the head coach the Chicago Bears, it was his old team that put on a show.

The Lions dropped 52 points on their old offensive coordinator, putting to rest any concerns that the unit would face a significant drop-off in effectiveness and production without Johnson at the helm.

Late in the game, the Lions could have kicked a field goal on 4th-and-goal, but opted to go for it instead, scoring yet another touchdown to cross the 50-point threshold.

Johnson was asked whether or not Lions head coach Dan Campbell was running up the score, and this was his response:

It might have felt personal to Bears fans, but Campbell’s Lions teams have a long history of being aggressive on fourth downs, regardless of the game situation. While this might have been in poor taste for most games, this just feels like a time where circumstantial evidence doesn’t necessarily mean there was any ill intent.

Even so, don’t be surprised if Johnson and the Bears remember that decision when the two teams meet again in Chicago later this season.