Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears have one more regular season game left, and it’s on Sunday, January 4, against Johnson’s old team, the Detroit Lions. Even though the Bears officially made the postseason on December 27, that doesn’t mean Johnson is taking the team’s game against Detroit any less seriously.
The Bears are playing for seeding, which is important, too. A win against the Detroit Lions secures them the No. 2 spot in the NFC playoff bracket, and that would mean another game against the Green Bay Packers, according to NFL research, who are at No. 7. They’ll also get that much-coveted home game if they win the NFC wild-card round. So, the Bears can get that No. 2 spot with a win over the Detroit Lions or a loss by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Heading into the game against the Lions, Johnson spoke to the media on Wednesday, July 31, and talked about Detroit’s presence on the field and what the Bears plan to do to contain it. The game is at home, so the Chicago Bears’ crowd will surely help with all their noise.
Ben Johnson on Chicago Bears’ Strategy Against the Detroit Lions
Speaking to reporters, Johnson said that the Lions were going to put up a fight, but the Bears are, too. He also isn’t backing off from having his team play their best football in this game, even though some playoff-bound teams opt to rest their starters.
“They’re going to come out here and they’re going to fight,” Johnson told reporters. “I mean, it’s what they do. It’s going to be a good good challenge for us. It’s a very good team. I mean, this group has talent all over the place.”
He added of the Lions, “Their defense is, I get it. They’ve given up some points over the last few games, but I mean, they’re still a very stout front. I mean, these guys are flying to the football. They create pressure and you see some explosive plays, but they’re all contested… They play hard, they play fast and they play physical.”
The Detroit Lions, of course, beat the Chicago Bears when they played on September 14, in a 31-point loss.
Chicago Bears Quarterback Caleb Williams Discusses Detroit Lions Game
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams echoed the fighting words from Johnson.
“I know they’re going to come out and fight,” he told the media. “They’ve been in this situation before where they may have not made the playoffs and they come out and they beat a team that is going to the playoffs. They’re going to come out and fight and we got to hold our own. We got to come out and match that energy if not more.”
The Bears just fell to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, December 28, in California, and they’re hungry for a win after that game. Even though that loss means the Bears can’t be No. 1 in the NFC, No. 2 wouldn’t be too shabby. The Chicago Bears are already at the top in the NFC North.
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