Antwaan Randle El takes over play calling as Bears’ offense puts points on the board in preseason rout

The Chicago Bears’ preseason offense looked sharper Saturday night, and the change at the controls was unmistakable. Antwaan Randle El took over play-calling duties for Chicago, and the Bears turned that decision into production in their 34-10 win over the Cleveland Browns.

According to CBS Sports, Chicago scored 24 of its 34 points during the period when Randle El was calling the plays. That share matters because it suggests the Bears were not simply grinding out points throughout the game. Instead, the bulk of the scoring came during the run of plays directed by Randle El.

The Bears’ offensive improvement was also recognized by their offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson. Johnson, widely regarded as one of the NFL’s top play-callers, acknowledged that Chicago’s offense looked even better with someone else calling the plays. The point was not only that the offense scored, but that it executed with a different feel when Randle El had the play sheet responsibilities.

The preseason setting provides important context. Teams routinely experiment with roles, personnel groupings, and play-call structures while trying to evaluate how different combinations affect timing, tempo, and decision-making. A 34-10 final is still a clear result, but the larger takeaway here is what the Bears appeared to learn about their offensive operation when shifting play-calling authority.

For Randle El, the game functioned as both a test and an opportunity. His assignment was not just to “be involved,” but to call the plays that would decide whether the offense could sustain drives and convert them into points. With 24 of 34 coming under his direction, the Bears’ coaching staff received a fairly direct answer in real time.

What to watch next is whether the Bears treat this as a one-game evaluation, or whether they expand Randle El’s play-calling involvement in subsequent exhibition weeks. The preseason schedule typically includes multiple rounds of adjustments, and the coaching staff’s willingness to build on a successful structure will reveal how seriously they view the offensive changes that showed up in this one.

Even with a clear offensive output, any forward-looking interpretation should be cautious. Preseason games include mixed rotations, and play-calling adjustments can be influenced by opponent look, personnel availability, and how long specific groups stay on the field. Still, the message from within the building was hard to miss: the offense functioned at a higher level when Randle El was calling plays, and Johnson’s public acknowledgment underscores that this was not a coincidence the Bears wanted to ignore.