Ben Johnson’s creative play calling has already made headlines in Detroit, but in Chicago on Sunday, his famous “Stumblebum” trick play backfired in brutal fashion.
The Move He Tried to Rehash
When Johnson was Detroit’s offensive coordinator, he became well-known for the “Stumblebum”, a play in which the quarterback pretends to stumble or fumble, the running back drops, and the defense bites, only for the QB to rise and throw a pass downfield. In his Lions tenure, one iteration saw Jared Goff fake a stumble, Jahmyr Gibbs go down, and Goff hit Sam LaPorta for a 21-yard touchdown.
Johnson attempted to bring it back Sunday as head coach of the Bears. The snap went to QB Caleb Williams, who flopped a stumble attempt poorly. The running back (D’Andre Swift) also failed to sell the misdirection. The pass that followed was incomplete.
"Stumblebum" play doesn't work outside of Detroitpic.twitter.com/7nita4BitQ
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) September 28, 2025
Why It Failed
- Predictability: The Raiders likely recognized what was coming. Johnson’s history with this play made it less deceptive.
- Lack of execution: The stumble and fake fumble weren’t convincing this time around. The timing and acting that made it lethal in Detroit weren’t there.
- Personnel matters: The Bears are still building cohesion at QB, offensive line, and receiver chemistry. You need precision and trust for trick plays to work, something Detroit had in the Johnson / Goff era that Chicago might not yet.
The Bigger Picture
Johnson’s gamble underscores two things:
- He still believes in the flair that made him famous in Detroit.
- But trickery without fundamentals or surprise is just begging the defense to expose you.
Let’s face it, this wasn’t 2024 Detroit. The execution, read, and tempo weren’t clean enough to pull off such an ambitious ploy. It’s one thing to call it, another to nail it.
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