(104.3 The Score) As the Bears celebrated their 23-12 win over the Jets on Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field, head coach Ben Johnson turned his focus to this next week.
The Bears will head north to face the Green Bay Packers this upcoming Sunday, a renewal of their contentious rivalry that featured three close games filled with tension a season ago.
While Johnson isn't looking to stir the pot, second-year receiver Luther Burden III is raring to go.
"What's done in the past doesn't matter," Burden said Monday. "We're ready to get down there Sunday and come back home with a dub.
"We just want to beat them really bad and make them quit."
The Bears earned a thrilling 31-27 win over the Packers in NFC wild-card round of the playoffs last January, the third meeting between the two sides in less than two months. Chicago also earned a home victory a few days before Christmas while Green Bay won the game at Lambeau Field two weeks prior to that.
Johnson built up animosity in the longstanding rivalry during his first year leading the Bears, creating friction with Packers head coach Matt LaFleur. That included a brief and terse handshake between the two after their playoff game, one in which the Bears rallied from an 18-point deficit to win.
Johnson then yelled profanities about the Packers in the Bears' postgame locker room, saying, "I hate that team." His tone was much more measured Monday.
"It's a big week for us," Johnson said. "It's important to our organization. It's important to theirs as well. It'll be really good competition here on Sunday."
The Bears will turn to Tyson Bagent as their quarterback Sunday, having already ruled out starter Caleb Williams (hamstring). Johnson had played coy with his quarterback decision the last two weeks without Williams, but that won't be the case this week.
The Bears (3-1) and Packers (2-2) will kick off at noon CT Sunday from Lambeau Field.
Chris Emma covers the Bears and the Chicago sports scene for 104.3 The Score.
