The Chicago Bears‘ new season is approaching quickly, and expectations are sky-high for the Windy City this year. The team, of course, has a new head coach in Ben Johnson of the Detroit Lions, and Johnson has already changed so much about this team, so it’s going to look very different from last season.
The Bears take on the Dallas Cowboys to kick off their season on Thursday, September 4. But, perhaps their biggest test will come in Week 2, when Johnson and the Bears take on Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions. That game is set for September 14.
Johnson has been doing the press rounds before kicking off his first season heading up the Bears, and he sounds absolutely ready for the challenge that it ahead. Reporters have been asking him all about his rivalry with the Lions and what it will be like to go up against his old team. It’s going to be so exciting to see these two teams go at it. Now, Johnson’s newest comments show that he’s more than ready.
Chicago Bears Head Coach Ben Johnson is Ready
The Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions will see each other not once but twice during the regular season, because they’re both in the NFC North, and they may see each other again in the postseason.
Speaking with Danny Parkins of the Fox Sports show “First Things First” on Monday, August 25, Johnson was asked about the “Tush Push” play. From there, Parkins asked about Johnson’s Week 2 game against Detroit and questioned whether he would bring out any special plays just for the Lions.
“Maybe,” Johnson replied with a smile. That smiles says it all. He has some deep plans for the Lions, or at least it seems that way. From a Bears perspective, it would be so thrilling to see the team beat the Lions their first game with Johnson as head coach.
Johnson also talked about some of the trick plays that he used with the Lions and is using with the Bears. One that he said he’s run four or five times with the Lions he used against the Buffalo Bills in the preseason, and it resulted in a touchdown.
Lions Head Coach Gets Asked About Ben Johnson
Campbell has also been talking about the rivalry between the Bears and Lions. Speaking with WXYZ sports director Brad Galli, Campbell said that he’ll treat his games against Johnson the same as he would going up against any other team but is going to be “out for blood. Campbell also said that he and Johnson are still friends. He said that the two saw each other a few times in the offseason but didn’t say in what context.
“I want to beat them, we want to beat them, I’m sure they want to beat us,” Campbell said. “But no, it doesn’t matter who we’re playing. We’re out for blood.”
So, as much as these two try to make it sound like things are light and airy, there’s definitely a rivalry going on here. We don’t foresee Campbell and Johnson grilling burgers together anytime soon.
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