The Bears should have a win in hand as they travel to Detroit for a Week 2 game against the Lions. They let the Minnesota Vikings off the hook Monday night, fell apart in the fourth quarter and dropped their season opener 27-24 at Soldier Field.

Now they’ll look to avoid an 0-2 start to the season and within the NFC North in a huge matchup with storylines galore. Digging an early hole was something head coach Ben Johnson wouldn’t entertain, nor should he, heading into this one.

“You’re crazy right now,” Johnson said. “We’re going to win this game.”

The Bears must be far better and more consistent in Sunday’s clash to do exactly that. Let’s dive into the top storylines that will impact this early season outcome:

Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit

Johnson left the Lions to become the Bears’ head coach, a bold move to stay within the division and face his former team twice per year. The bonds forged over so many years won’t be broken by a professional rivalry, but it adds intrigue to an important matchup.

Johnson swears he’ll remove emotion from the proceedings, but there’s an on-field element that can’t be ignored. Few people know the Lions’ roster, its strengths and exploitable weaknesses, better than Johnson.

The Bears met about that topic Tuesday and will insert that insight into their game plan. The same can be said of the Lions’ coaching staff about Johnson. They know his tendencies and his penchant for creativity, and will work to counter what Johnson brings to the table.

That’s a major part of the in-game chess match. While talent and player execution matters most, Johnson’s familiarity with the Lions (and vice versa) will play a significant role in the outcome.

D’Andre Swift and righting the run game

The Bears called 20 designed runs against the Vikings but averaged just 3 yards per carry. That’s not good enough for Johnson’s offense, which uses the run and the threat of it to launch play-action and explosive shots down the field.

Johnson took responsibility for the rushing issues, saying he needs to call more runs and involve other backs. Rookie Kyle Monangai and third-year pro Roschon Johnson will be available, bringing more physical styles to bear on the Lions’ defensive front. That should help, though the Lions ranked No. 5 in run defense last season and will provide stiff opposition.

The Bears need to get the run game going, especially between the tackles, so they can stay relatively balanced and in control if they hold a late lead. The Lions’ pass rush is too strong to let them focus solely on pressuring quarterback Caleb Williams.

Caleb Williams vs. inconsistency

There’s no disputing Williams’ raw talent. He can do so much so well, with speed, arm talent and creativity when working off schedule. Williams, though, also can miss the layups required to keep the Bears’ offense on schedule. He has experienced some accuracy issues at times, and missed wide open receivers at critical junctures in the season opener.

That ties in with his footwork, on which he and Ben Johnson are working. Finding rhythm within the passing game is key, but that only can happen if Williams handles pre-snap responsibilities and performs well within the structure of the offense.

If Williams is on, the Bears will be tough to stop. If he’s only good at times and contributes to unforced offensive errors, winning will be a whole lot harder.

Special teams avoiding disaster

Special teams coordinator Richard Hightower was fair in pointing out the good and bad from his units in Week 1. The return game was strong with Devin Duvernay and Luther Burden III. The rough elements, however, were costly.

Tory Taylor had a punt blocked after Elijah Hicks whiffed in protection. Cairo Santos missed a 51-yard field-goal attempt in a three-point game and then failed to send a kickoff out of the end zone, which prompted the Bears to add Jake Moody to the practice squad after the San Francisco 49ers released him.

Special teams play often is overlooked in the grand scheme, until a mistake is made. While that’s unfair, the kicking game must avoid negative impacts on this game and prove the steady phase it normally is under Hightower.

This game should be close at the end, and a major gaffe could be decisive.

Stopping Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery

The Green Bay Packers held the Lions’ run game to just 46 yards in Week 1, their lowest total since Week 6 of 2023. Keeping Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery down is hard to do, especially over a longer term. Those guys are too good, with so much talent and play strength to stay down for long.

The Bears’ run defense was solid for most of Week 1, though it had some key lapses during a fourth-quarter collapse. That needs to be much tighter, and has a possibility to be with linebacker T.J. Edwards’ return from a hamstring injury.

Expecting a similar Lions rushing output is unlikely, but keeping Gibbs and Montgomery under 100 yards would be a win for the Bears. Even if that’s not possible, limiting explosive runs is essential. Gibbs especially can take yards in massive chunks, with elite speed and power running between the tackles and out wide.

Keeping Gibbs corralled would help the Bears and allow them to increase pressure on quarterback Jared Goff.