LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) — At his introductory press conference back in January, Bears first-year head coach Ben Johnson took a verbal shot that was directed 174 miles north of Halas Hall.
“To be quite frank with you, I kind of enjoyed beating Matt LaFleur twice a year,” Johnson said on Jan. 22, pointing to the rival Packers.
During Johnson's three years as the Lions’ offensive coordinator, Detroit went 5-1 against Green Bay, including three wins at Lambeau Field. It's been a different story for Chicago. For decades, the Bears haven't had success against the Packers in their longstanding rivalry. The last time the Bears beat the Packers twice in a single season was 2007. Since then, Green Bay is 29-6 in the rivalry, including a win in the NFC Championship Game in January 2011.
The Bears (9-3) hope to write a new chapter in the storied rivalry Sunday, when they visit the Packers (8-3-1) at Lambeau Field. The winner of the game will be in first place in the NFC North.
Johnson has directed a turnaround in his first season in Chicago. In just 12 games, the Bears have clinched their second winning season since 2012, when head coach Lovie Smith was fired following a 10-6 campaign.
With Johnson at the helm, the Bears have their best chance to turn around the arc of their rivalry with the Packers.
The 39-year-old Johnson has transformed the culture at Halas Hall and has the Bears holding the top seed in the NFC entering Week 14. Second-year quarterback Caleb Williams continues to progress under Johnson's watch, while general manager Ryan Poles’ vision for the roster is coming to fruition. The Bears may still be a year away from being a top Super Bowl contender, but Johnson has those inside Halas Hall confident in what they can accomplish this season.
LaFleur maintained that he wasn’t bothered by Johnson’s comments in the offseason, but his comments about the Bears seemed to suggest otherwise.
“Poles has done a heck of a job collecting a bunch of talent,” LaFleur said this week. “I think the quarterback (Caleb Williams) is playing much better. Obviously, their run game is humming right now. And then defensively, they’re a problem in regards to – they do such a good job of presenting similar looks and having different concepts off those looks.”
To no surprise, LaFleur failed to mention Johnson in sharing that credit.
For his part, Johnson wasn’t interested in rehashing his verbal jab at LaFleur when asked about it earlier this week. He seemed eager to move past that and perhaps realized some feathers were ruffled in Green Bay.
Johnson and LaFleur both know the score will be settled Sunday at Lambeau Field, a game that will mark the first of two crucial meetings between the teams in a 14-day span. The standings are tight. While the Bears currently own the top seed in the NFC, the team that holds the No. 7 seed — the 49ers at 9-4 — are just a half-game back.
There’s plenty at stake Sunday as the Johnson leads the Bears against the Packers for the first time. It may well be the first of many pivotal matchups in a new chapter of this longstanding series.
Amid a great start for his Bears, Johnson is the great hope for Chicago to take control of its rivalry with Green Bay.
Emma’s prediction (8-4): Bears 21, Packers 20
This should be a terrific football game between two rivals. The Bears find a way to win another close game and beat the Packers in Green Bay.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.