Ben Johnson Unveils Bold Strategy to Dismantle Packers’ Ironclad Defense—Can the Bears Pull Off the Impossible?

Ben Johnson didn’t just stumble into the Bears head coaching gig earlier this year—he stepped in with a swagger, recalling how he “kind of enjoyed beating” Matt LaFleur twice annually when orchestrating the Lions’ offense. Fast forward to this Sunday, and Johnson faces a fresh and formidable challenge: dueling LaFleur on the Packers’ turf at Lambeau Field, trying to notch his inaugural win against the Packers’ head coach in his new leadership role. The task? Crafting a strategy to crack what Johnson himself calls “might be the best defense we’ve seen all year.” It’s a defensive juggernaut, powered by stars like Micah Parsons and Rashan Gary, under the meticulous guidance of coordinator Jeff Hafley—whose scheme simplifies brilliance on the field while perplexing offenses. And with the Packers recently losing defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt to injury, the Bears might just find a sliver of opportunity to leverage their rushing prowess, highlighted by their impressive 249-yard ground game against the Eagles last week. This Sunday’s matchup isn’t just a game; it’s a tactical chess match with big stakes, potentially fueling a fierce, enduring NFC North rivalry. LEARN MORE

When Ben Johnson got the Bears head coaching job earlier this year, he quipped that he “kind of enjoyed beating Matt LaFleur twice a year” while running the offense for the Lions.

Johnson will get his first chance to face LaFleur in his new job when the Bears go to Lambeau Field this Sunday. In order to get his first win over the Packers head coach in his new role, Johnson will have to come up with a plan to face what he said “might be the best defense we’ve seen all year.”

Johnson made that comment during his Tuesday press conference and cited Micah Parsons, Rashan Gary, Quay Walker, and Edgerrin Cooper as some of the players who have thrived while playing for defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.

“They are matchup issues for your backs and pass pro, you can tell they bring it,” Johnson said. “Fast players sideline to sideline. I think the safeties are probably the two best safeties that we’ve seen all year long. They’re extremely active in the run game. They’re all over the field and, so, we’ve got a tall task here at hand. When you combine it with the scheme, I think Hafley does a great job of making it simple for them. And, yet, to the offense, it can seem fairly complex, and those guys just go out and they play really fast and that’s what shows up all over the tape.”

The Packers lost defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt to a season-ending ankle injury last Thursday and that might be an area the Bears try to exploit after posting 249 rushing yards against the Eagles in last Friday’s win. Green Bay will have a plan to combat such an approach and the winner of that chess match will be in a good spot to win the first round of what could be a long-running rivalry in the NFC North.