When Ben Johnson was introduced as the Chicago Bears’ head coach last offseason, he didn’t shy away from the subject that has defined football in Chicago for generations.
When asked about the rivalry with Green Bay, Johnson delivered a message that immediately set a tone for his tenure: “I kinda enjoyed beating Matt LaFleur twice a year.”
That exact vision didn’t fully materialize in the regular season as the Bears and Packers split their two meetings, each decided late. But when the postseason arrived, Johnson’s vision became reality.
Chicago’s stunning 31-27 comeback win over Green Bay in the wild card round gave Johnson something better than a regular season sweep… It gave him a playoff victory over Matt LaFleur, the biggest win in the rivalry in more than a decade, and one of the most improbable comebacks in franchise history.
And fittingly, the moment that lingered most after the final whistle wasn’t just the score… It was the handshake. For the third time this season, Johnson and LaFleur met briefly at midfield. And for the third time, it was quick, cold, and over in seconds.
“There was probably a little bit more noise coming out of their building up north to start of the week — which we heard loud and clear, players and coaches alike,” Johnson said. “So this one meant something to us.”
That edge showed up when the Bears needed it most
GettyBears QB Caleb Williams and Packers QB Jordan Love
Down 21-3 at halftime and 21-6 entering the fourth quarter, the Chicago Bears outscored Green Bay 25-6 in the fourth quarter, erasing the 18 point deficit.
Before this weekend, teams trailing by 15 or more entering the fourth quarter of a playoff game were 3-158 all time. Now it’s 4-158, and Caleb Williams owns one of those wins.
But this night wasn’t just about the quarterback. It was about belief, the kind Ben Johnson has been preaching since the moment he arrived.
“True belief,” Williams said afterward. “Belief in the coaches that they’re gonna call the right play at the right time. Belief in the players on the field.”
That belief didn’t waver even after Green Bay briefly reclaimed momentum with a Matthew Golden touchdown to go up 27-16 midway through the fourth. Chicago responded immediately, driving 76 yards as Williams found Olamide Zaccheaus for a score and Colston Loveland for the two-point conversion.
When the Packers failed to capitalize on a missed 44 yard field goal, the Bears sensed the opening, and took it.
A new era in Chicago
GettyBears QB Caleb Williams
For years, Green Bay dictated terms in this rivalry. From Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love, heartbreak at the Packers’ hands was a defining scar of the Bears modern history… That dynamic is changing.
The Chicago Bears have now beaten Green Bay three times in their last five meetings, now once in the playoffs under the brightest lights possible. “We just keep plugging along,” Ben Johnson said. “We keep fighting. That’s who we are.”
It’s also who he is. He said he liked beating the Packers. Then, in his first year on the job, he went out and did exactly that when it mattered most.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Ben Johnson Did Exactly What He Said He Was Going to Do to the Packers appeared first on Heavy Sports.