The Chicago Bears will renew the NFL’s most storied rivalry in Week 14, taking on the Green Bay Packers. There were plenty of platitudes from Bears head coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams for the Packers on Tuesday.
Wednesday was Packers HC Matt LaFleur and QB Jordan Love’s respective turns to meet with the media, and they returned the favor.
One thing that is for certain, neither side is overlooking the other in this contest.
Bears Get Strong Comments From Packers’ Jordan Love & Matt LaFleur
Jordan Love, Matt LaFleur Speak on Bears Before Showdown
LaFleur’s message was how much improvement the Bears have shown all around, noting the continued efforts of general manager Ryan Poles, who has been in his role for six of these tilts.
“I think the first thing that jumps out is, offensively, they’re doing a great job taking care of the football. Defensively, they’re doing a great job of getting takeaways. I think they’ve always done a nice job; I think Poles has done a hell of a job of collecting a bunch of talent,” LaFleur said.
“I think the quarterback’s playing a lot better. Obviously, their run game is humming right now. And then, defensively, there are problems in regards to I think they do such a good job of presenting similar looks, and having different concepts off those looks. So, just in terms of the offense and defense, I think they’ve just made a lot of progress.”
Fittingly, the last time the Bears were 9-3 was in 2010.
Then, the Bears and Packers met in the NFC Championship game, with Green Bay advancing to the Super Bowl, which they won.
LaFleur is 11-1 against the Bears, while Love is 3-1, but that one loss came in Week 18 last season in a game the Packers QB and several teammates did not finish. Love did not mince words about what is at stake in this meeting.
He called it a “big game, noting multiple times that the Bears are atop the division and NFC.
“It’ll be a great game. And, obviously, again, we got to go out there, handle business,” Love told reporters on Wednesday, admitting the Packers are buying into the game’s hype.
“I think for obvious reasons. Like I said, they’re No. 1 in the NFC. So, obviously, we haven’t played them yet. The only team in NFC North we haven’t seen. So – and two games in three weeks. So, it’ll be a great matchup. They’re a good team. And like we’ve always said, it’s that 1-0 mentality. Just handle business this week.”
Bears Can Strengthen Hold on NFC
The caveat from Week 18 was that the Packers were more focused on the playoffs. The Bears were wrapping up a 5-12 regular season that had already seen multiple coaches fired, leading to Johnson’s hire.
This time around, both teams are vying for the postseason.
They also both have valid reasons to feel like they are the best team in the division entering this contest.
The Bears have the best record in the NFC, while the Packers are 3-0 against the Detroit Lions (2-0) and Minnesota Vikings (1-0). The Bears are 1-2, losing to the Vikings and Lions in Weeks 1 and 2, respectively.
They beat the Vikings in Week 11 and can do the same against the Lions in Week 18.
The Packers loom as one of the Bears’ final bugaboos they must overcome to truly usher in their new era of prosperity, which features Johnson and Williams (and Poles) at the helm.