Matt LaFleur has a golden opportunity to finally answer Bears HC Ben Johnson after his disrespectful message
Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears will play twice over the next three weeks.
The Green Bay Packers have won their three divisional games this season, which included sweeping the Detroit Lions for the first time since 2020. But now things are getting more and more interesting, as the Packers face the Chicago Bears twice over the next three weeks.
Sending a message
Even though the Packers have won 10 of their last 11 games against the Chicago Bears, and the one Bears’ win came in a meaningless Week 18 game last season with Malik Willis playing the majority of the matchup, these next two games will certainly feel different. Under new head coach Ben Johnson, the Bears have been much more competent, and that’s why they are fighting for the division.
But everything started with a shot at Matt LaFleur. Right after being hired, Johnson sent a not-so-subtle jab at the Packers head coach.
“I’m gonna be quite frank with you,” Johnson said back in January. “I kind of enjoyed beating Matt LaFleur twice a year.”
That was a reference to the Lions sweeping the Packers last year, when Johnson was their offensive coordinator.
Matt LaFleur was classy in responding to it at the time, saying that he understood what Ben Johnson did, trying to motivate Bears fans entering a new era.
“I’m sure he’s playing to their fans a little bit,” LaFleur said. “It is what it is. I’m not gonna lose too much sleep because of that.”
Later, Matt LaFleur said he doesn’t know Johnson very well, which made the jab feel a little over the top.
“I don’t know Ben Johnson. Do I have beef? Uh, I don’t know Ben Johnson. I respect him as a football coach, he did a nice job,” LaFleur added. “It’s not tight, I’m not tight. I thought it was interesting. I thought the press conference was interesting. But I don’t have beef with him.”
On Sunday, the Packers and Bears will face off for the first time this season. Later, the teams get back to play against each other on a Saturday in Week 16, and those two games will be huge for the outcome of the NFC North. That’s enough to motivate LaFleur and the Packers, but the extra bulletin board material may help to add some fuel to the fire in a big week.
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