Bears first-year head coach Ben Johnson made his return to Detroit on Sunday after serving as the Lions’ offensive coordinator the past three seasons. The Lions spoiled his homecoming with a 52-21 rout, dropping the Bears to 0-2 on the season.

Three moments that mattered

1. The opening kickoff: Cairo Santos floated the opening kickoff out of bounds, giving Detroit the ball at its own 40. Five plays later, the Lions were in the end zone thanks to Jahmyr Gibbs’ 6-yard sprint to the left pylon. The Lions never trailed, despite the Bears answering with a touchdown of their own.

2. Swift fumble: Trailing 14-7 late in the first quarter, the Bears were driving. On second-and-7 from the Detroit 33, safety Brian Branch knocked the ball loose from running back D’Andre Swift, and the Lions recovered. The blown opportunity for the Bears proved to be the beginning of the end for their offense. Swift had a decent game except for the fumble, rushing for 63 yards (5.2 average) and a TD.

3. “Throw the ball away!”: The Bears were still in the game, still trailing 14-7, when they faced second-and-32 from their own 36 early in the second quarter. Caleb Williams scrambled to his right and tried to throw the ball out of bounds. Tried. The try was futile. Lions safety Kerby Smith made a diving interception downfield. The Lions turned the pick into points, as QB Jared Goff hit tight end Brock Wright for an 8-yard TD and 21-7 lead with 4:48 left before halftime.

Three things that worked

1. Rome Odunze: The ninth overall pick in the 2024 draft had his best game as a pro. He had career highs of seven receptions and 128 yards. He scored two touchdowns, giving him three through two games, equaling his total from all of last season. He’s starting to look like a No. 1 wide receiver, and he and Caleb Williams continue to show chemistry.

2. Offense’s opening possession: For the second time in as many games, the Bears scored on their first possession. Caleb Williams was 5 of 6 for 54 yards, capping a 74-yard drive with a 28-yard TD pass to Rome Odunze. It proved to be the Bears’ best possession of the game.

3. Tory Taylor: Yes, the punter. For all the criticism the Bears have taken for selecting Taylor in the fourth round last year, at least this draft pick plays. Punting indoors, Taylor boomed three balls for a 53.0 average, and one landed inside the 20. Too bad the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Aussie can’t play defense and tackle somebody.

Three things that didn’t

1. Short-yardage stinkage: How is this still a thing? Even with Ben Johnson calling the shots, the Bears were unable to gain a yard when it mattered most. Trailing 14-7 early in the second quarter, the Bears faced second-and-1 from their own 37. Caleb Williams’ short pass was tipped and fell incomplete. The QB was then stopped short on back-to-back sneaks. Fortunately for the Bears, the Lions missed a 55-yard field goal try four plays later.

2. Putrid pass rush: How is this still a thing? Montez Sweat had a first-half sack that was nullified because of offsetting penalties, and the Bears finished without a sack. The Bears thought they addressed the problem in the offseason by signing Dayo Odeyingbo. They thought wrong. Lions QB Jared Goff had all day to throw.

3. Pass defense, more putrid: The Lions’ offense sure misses Ben Johnson. Without their offensive coordinator of the past three seasons, all they did was score 52 points, while making it look easy. Jared Goff finished with 334 passing yards and five TDs, using multiple weapons to pick apart a Bears defense that looked confused, slow, uninspired, tired, wounded and uncoached – or, as Bears fans might say, in mid-season form.

What’s next?

The Bears return to Soldier Field on Sunday for a 3:25 p.m. kickoff against the 1-1 Dallas Cowboys, who beat the Giants 40-37 in overtime on Sunday. The good news for the 0-2 Bears is that they won’t see game-wrecker Micah Parsons. The bad news is, they get to see him twice before Christmas in a Packers uniform – Dec. 7 at Green Bay and Dec. 20 at Soldier Field.