Ben Johnson previews upcoming playoff matchup against the Packers after the Bears clinch the No. 2 seed in the NFC
The first round matchup is set for the Chicago Bears.
The Chicago Bears intended to send a message going into the playoffs with their Week 18 performance to build some last minute momentum. Instead, the Bears fell flat in the rematch opportunity against the Detroit Lions and will enter the playoffs licking their wounds.
“We gotta play better,” Bears head coach Ben Johnson told reporters after the loss. “We gotta play better going forward. We gotta coach better going forward as well. We’re turning the page though.”
Even despite the back-to-back losses to end the season, Chicago still secured the No. 2 seed in the NFC with an 11-6 record and the last two performance now serve as strong wakeup calls for this team before things get serious in the postseason.
“We got a new season on the horizon,” Johnson added. “Our guys should be reinvigorated by that. I know I certainly am. I’m looking forward to the opportunity and all that that entails, and the opportunity to go 1-0 this next week.”
Chicago Bears set to face the Green Bay Packers in the wild card round
With the No. 2 seed secured thanks to the loss by the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, the Bears will in fact host the Green Bay Packers in the first round of the playoffs at Soldier Field.
The Bears and Packers split the season series this year 1-1 and both plays came down to the final play. In Week 14, the Bears lost at Lambeau Field on an interception in the end zone. Thirteen days later, Chicago got revenge in front of the home crowd in an overtime thriller, albeit the Packers were without starting quarterback Jordan Love for the majority of that game.
It’s rare to see three games between two teams in the same season, something Johnson shared his perspective on as an early preview to this game.
“Good opponent and I think we’re fairly evenly matched,” Johnson explained. “Got a lot of respect for how well they’re coached. I have a lot of respect for the talent level that they have in that building. It’d expect it to be another exciting game.”
The last time Chicago faced the Packers three times in the same season came in 2010, when the Bears lost 21-14 in the NFC Championship Game with the Packers moving on and winning the Super Bowl against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
If the Bears want to avoid a similar outcome in this Round 3 against the Packers, they will have a lot to clean up on both sides of the ball. But the same can be said about the Packers, who will be riding a four-game losing streak into the playoffs. This should be a fun one.
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