Final Word: If Ben Johnson is interested in the Chicago Bears job, Sunday should be an advanced interview

CHICAGO - It really is hard to decide which facet of the Detroit Lions' "Stumble Bum" play hurts the most.

Is it the name? What play titled "Stumble Bum" is supposed to work?

Is it the inspiration? Of course it was inspired by a busted Green Bay Packers play against the Chicago Bears earlier this year.

It could be the end result? The Lions cashed in a 21-yard touchdown to put Detroit up 34-14, which played into the Lions' 34-17 win at Soldier Field.

Whatever pill you swallow, it's bitter and uncomfortable. Lions quarterback Jared Goff faked stumbling, and running back Jahmyr Gibbs faked diving on a fumble, as Goff perked up to hit Sam LaPorta for that touchdown.

Still, if you can't beat it, why not hire it?

The Bears do need a head coach. The man who brought the "Stumble Bum" play to life is Ben Johnson, the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions. He's expected to be atop plenty of coach wish lists this offseason.

If Johnson is interested in the Bears' job, consider Sunday an informal interview that earned him a spot in the final round of interviews. Interviews with current NFL assistants cannot begin until after the regular season, and Johnson is certainly going to be hardwired into the Lions' playoff run.

There's no denying Johnson's acumen and brilliance could be what the Bears need to foster Caleb Williams into a game-changing, killer franchise quarterback.

Just look at the final numbers from Sunday: 475 total yards, 7 of 12 on third-down conversions, no turnovers, three touchdowns though the air and just two offensive penalties.

Hold on, you can't forget one (1) "Stumble Bum" play.

"Ben, that was one of his brain child's," Detroit head coach Dan Campbell said. "It started that way, and then we massaged it and worked it."

It worked to perfection. Imagine what kind of plays Johnson could pull out of his hat if he was interested in the Bears' opening?

That interest on Johnson's end isn't just conjecture, either.

There was genuine wonder if Johnson would be interested in a job like the Bears' opening. You can lists all the pros you want in a pro-con list, but 

"My understanding is Johnson is intrigued by the Bears' job and he is going to be willing to listen," NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Sunday on NFL GameDay Morning. "There's a lot to like in Chicago with Caleb Williams, tons of cap space, extra draft resources."

Johnson certainly knows there's going to be a time when he wants to take the step forward and take a head coaching job.

"I think there's a burning desire in every man to find what he's made out of, push the limits and see if he's got what it takes," Johnson said on Thursday. "So, yeah, there's a fire there. Now, when that time is, I don't know when that'll be, but there's certainly a fire there."

After seeing what Johnson did at Solider Field on Sunday, the Bears would do well to try and stoke that fire themselves.

Johnson's offense was more than just gaffe plays and big plays. He schemed up running plays for Jahmyr Gibbs that played into his shiftiness and acceleration. Gibbs went over 100 yards on Sunday.

He got the ball into Amon-Ra St. Browns hands in short and long pass throws. He found ways to get him wide open.

"We've got our first opener plays," Goff said. "It doesn't mean we're always going to stick to them, but we've got plays that we want to get off the sheet pretty early that we're intent on, and I think he does a good job of setting up plays later on by doing that. He's very aware of how to start fast, that we want to start fast. I thought we did start fast today."

Still, not everything goes as planned, even with scripted plays.

Goff noted there was a difference in the first and second half. Case in point, Detroit only scored one touchdown after dropping 27 first-half points. This is a lesson in play calling: good play callers can gain yards, great ones find ways to materialize offense when it's hard to come by.

The Lions gained 143 yards in the second half Sunday. For reference, in the last two weeks, the Bears gained four yards in the first half against San Francisco and 104 yards in the first half against Minnesota.

"I thought our first half was really good," Goff said. "I thought our second half was sub-par. Myself personally I thought was sub-par in the second half. I think we were able to overcome."

That lone second-half touchdown? The "Stumble Bum" play.

It wasn't just a play Johnson went back and cooked up based off one scramble instance. It was thoroughly detailed.

Goff's stumble and Gibbs' dive were the visual cues, but so were the entire offensive line yelling "Ball!" to freeze the Bears defense into thinking there was a fumble for a second.

"By that time, like you turn around and a guy came from the other side and just like wheeled up," Bears safety Jonathan Owens said. "It was a good design. I guess they got the coverage they were looking for."

That level of detail is what goes into the Lions being the best offense in the NFL.

That level of detail is why Detroit is on the cusp of earning the No. 1 see in the NFC and a first-round bye in the playoffs.

That level of detail could certainly inject life into an NFL franchise that's looking for its next leadership.

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