Shortly after the Chicago Bears launched Ben Johnson as their new head coach in January 2025, Johnson joked that he “kinda loved beating” Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur “twice a yr” when Johnson served because the offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions.
Following Inexperienced Bay’s 28-21 house win over Chicago on Sunday, LaFleur insisted that the truth that the Bears took over first place within the NFC North was “the one factor that issues” concerning the sport’s consequence. Later, he spoke with Albert Breer of Sports activities Illustrated concerning the supposed feud between the coaches.
Matt LaFleur: Ben Johnson “stated what he stated”
“I imply, he stated what he stated, and it’s what it’s,” LaFleur stated about Johnson’s remark. “To me, it’s all the time about our gamers and our groups taking part in in opposition to one another. Ben does a hell of a job. I received a number of respect for him as a coach, they usually received a very good group. They received good gamers, and it was evident [Sunday]. We had an opportunity to type of get out forward of them within the second half, they usually continued to battle and battle. I imply, shoot, it’s all the time a pair performs right here and there, that’s the distinction. Fortunately, we made two plays on the finish of the sport.”
As of early Monday afternoon, the ESPN Football Power Index gave the 9-3-1 Packers a 69.8 % likelihood to assert the division title. 9-4 Chicago was at 21.0 %, whereas the 8-5 Lions had been at 9.2 %. Following Sunday’s recreation at Lambeau Discipline, Johnson and LaFleur met for a short interplay.
“See you in two weeks,” Johnson advised LaFleur in reference to the Week 16 recreation between the golf equipment that can be held at Chicago’s Soldier Discipline.
Matt LaFleur sends warning to Packers about remainder of schedule
LaFleur understands his group cannot afford to look previous any opponent at this stage of the marketing campaign. Inexperienced Bay performs on the 11-2 Denver Broncos on Dec. 14 earlier than the Packers start making ready for the rematch with Chicago. In Week 17, Inexperienced Bay will host a Baltimore Ravens (6-7) aspect that could be preventing to stay within the playoff hunt. The Packers will then end the common season with a matchup at a Minnesota Vikings (5-8) group that would wish to spoil issues for Inexperienced Bay.
“There’s nonetheless a number of ball in entrance of us, and it’s such a good race,” LaFleur added. “It retains us within the thick of it, clearly. We received a number of challenges in entrance of us. You’re speaking about simply each group on our schedule goes to be a monster, in Denver, Chicago, Baltimore and Minnesota, so that you simply received to maintain working, taking it a day at a time, one recreation at a time, and give attention to what you have got in entrance of you. You simply can’t get too far out in entrance of your self, as a result of if you happen to try this, you’re certain to slide up.”
On Monday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Packers as 1.5-point highway favorites in opposition to the Broncos.
