When Lovie Smith became the head coach of the Chicago Bears in 2004, he knew he had to convey a message to the fans. This organization had been beaten down by constant losing for most of the previous decade. Something needed to be said that would give them a jolt of excitement. So he stepped to the podium and laid out his goal for the franchise. The first objective? Beat the Green Bay Packers. Since 1994, the Bears had only beaten their eternal rivals twice. That had to change. Smith understood what it meant. It appears Ben Johnson recognizes the same.
Chicago introduced their new head coach on Wednesday, January 22nd. It didn't take long to realize this was a young man who was well-prepared, confident, and ready for the opportunity. He conveyed a message of deliberate intent. Nobody in the building would feel comfortable anymore. It was about hard work and sacrifice. However, before getting into his plans, he made sure to note how difficult the task is ahead against the NFL's toughest division.
Then he fired a shot directly at the Packers.
Ben Johnson has good reasons to gloat.
He took over as the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator in 2022. In the six subsequent meetings against Green Bay, Johnson went 5-1. His offense averaged 24.83 points per game in those meetings. Such numbers haven't occurred for the Bears in those meetings for most of the past three decades. Ben Johnson isn't a fool. He knows the Packers have long been the gatekeepers in the NFC North. If you want to reach the Super Bowl, they are always the first hurdle you need to clear. It appears he's not afraid of the challenge they present. Such confidence was nowhere to be found with guys like Matt Eberflus, John Fox, or Marc Trestman. Maybe Lovie channeled some of that magic into him.
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