The Chicago Bears got off to a slow start in their preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns, trailing 10-0 before tying things at halftime. However, it was a much different story in the second half as Chicago scored 24 points en route to a 34-10 win.
Usually, this would be attributable to head coach Ben Johnson’s expert playcalling in the second half. However, in the preseason, Johnson likes to give other coaches the opportunity to call plays in the second half. Against Cleveland, that coach was wide receivers coach and assistant head coach Antwaan Randle El.
"If you noticed a difference in terms of offensive execution and it looked better in the second half, that’s really because of Antwaan Randle El calling it there in the second half," Johnson said. "I thought he did a phenomenal job with [quarterback] Case [Keenum] taking the reins and then transition on over to [quarterback] Miller [Moss] just to see how he was trying to stay in their wheelhouse. He was part of the quarterback meeting last night, and we were talking about what was on the call sheet and their favorites and all that. And I think it was a phenomenal experience for him, and I know our guys rallied around that as well."
Chicago will have their next preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals next Saturday and conclude their preseason in Tennessee against the Titans on Aug. 29. Johnson did not rule out the possibility that another coach could call the plays in the second half in either of those games. Randle El could also get that chance again given Johnson’s belief that he has the potential to become an offensive coordinator or head coach some day.
"We might look at a couple of guys during the preseason," Johnson said. "Last year, [offensive coordinator] Declan [Doyle] had an opportunity to do the second half, and I wanted El to get that chance too. I think El is an outstanding coach who has a chance to be an offensive coordinator and head coach in this league. He might not get that type of credit around the league right now, so this is a great opportunity for him to get some recognition."
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Ben Johnson reacts to Antwaan Randle El calling Bears plays vs. Browns
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