The Chicago Bears are gearing up for a pivotal divisional showdown against the Green Bay Packers, which will have implications on the race for the NFC North and playoff seeding.
It’s been awhile since this Bears-Packers rivalry hasn’t been one-sided, in Green Bay’s favor. But after a Week 18 win over the Packers to close out the 2024 season, Chicago is now focused on making it two straight against Green Bay for the first time since 2007.
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It’s no secret that the Packers have dominated the rivalry for the last decade-plus, but with head coach Ben Johnson now leading the charge, this doesn’t feel like the same old Bears. And that’s a big reason why cornerback Jaylon Johnson feels so confident about this team heading into Sunday’s game.
“We have more belief than what we’ve had previously before because we’ve put in the work and we’ve seen the results come from it and you gain confidence from that,” Johnson said. “I would say we definitely feel a lot better. But again, this is a different team, a different season, and we’re going into it all guns blazing, ready and prepared.”
The Bears have won five straight games, including most recently a 24-15 upset win over the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. They’re 9-3 sitting in first place in the NFC North and atop the NFC, and they continue to find ways to win. The run game is one of the best in the NFL and the defense has led the league in takeaways for more than half the season.
Sunday will be another big test for Chicago against another NFC powerhouse in the first of two games between the Bears and Packers in three weeks. But Ben Johnson has made believers out of his team, and they’re confident they can continue their hot streak when they head to Lambeau Field.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Jaylon Johnson on why Bears are confident heading into Packers game