Ben Johnson believes the Bears are battle-tested for the playoffs despite ending the regular season on a two-game losing streak
This team has handled pressure and adversity in a major way all season long.
The Chicago Bears certainly did not end the regular season the way the team might have hoped and instead will be riding a two-game losing streak into the playoffs.
Head coach Ben Johnson is a firm believer that momentum doesn’t carry over week to week in this league and every game is a new opportunity. In the playoffs, the margin of error becomes razor thin and the Bears showed the last two weeks that there’s a lot to clean up.
The Bears have also proved throughout the season that this team is battle-tested and ready to rise up when the lights are bright. And there’s no brighter lights than in the postseason.
Ben Johnson still has full confidence in the Bears when the pressure is on going into the playoffs
“I think the guys we brought in are guys that appreciate having a little bit of pressure,” Johnson said in his interview with Jeff Joniak on ESPN Chicago. “That was by design. I think (general manager Ryan Poles) did a great job identifying those guys and I know we got a resilient group in that locker room but also we have a very poised and polished group. When the lights are on and the stakes are high, I know they’ll show up and they’ll be at their best.”
Just look at the season the Bears have had and the amount of close wins this team pulled of late in the season, including the overtime win at Soldier Field against the Green Bay Packers, the team the Bears are scheduled to face in the first round of the playoffs.
The last time the Bears weren’t in a one possession game came in the Week 15 blowout win against the Cleveland Browns and the last time the Bears lost a one score game was in Week 8 against the Baltimore Ravens. So, you know this is going to be close on Saturday and in a do-or-die game like that, every little detail matters.
“I think they understand out important the details are and I think they understand how important each play is,” Johnson explained. “You just don’t know which one is going to make the difference in winning and losing these games. They also know how abruptly the season can end. Until you’ve gone through that, it gives you a greater sense of appreciation for getting this opportunity.”
Familiar opponent coming up in the wild card round
As mentioned before, the Bears will be facing a familiar opponent in the first round against the Packers, a team the Bears have faced twice already this season with mixed results, which adds another layer to this specific upcoming game.
“You certainly know your opponent,” Johnson said. “You want to make sure that you’re attacking them a certain way that you believe in.”
This will certainly be one of the most highly anticipated first round matches in the entire league, something the NFL confirmed by scheduling this matchup as the Saturday night game on Amazon Prime Video.
Chicago Bears News
Ben Johnson continues to go to bat for the Bears defense despite another rough showing in Week 18
The team’s head coach wasn’t all too worried about the defensive performance on Sunday.
