Packers coach Matt LaFleur finally has worthy adversary in Bears rivalry with Ben Johnson

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The first Bears-Packers game this season had everything that had been missing from the rivalry and everything Packers coach Matt LaFleur wanted.

It was a battle for control of the NFC North, which the Packers took with a win but have coughed up in the two weeks since, and it was “chippy” all the way to the end of a tight game. Actually, it appeared to be contentious even after it concluded as LaFleur and Bears coach Ben Johnson set a world record for fastest post-game handshake.

And for both fanbases and the viewing audience at large, it was a massive upgrade over the last several years. The intensity was back when the teams played at Lambeau Field, and the rematch Saturday in Chicago promises to be as dramatic or more.

“Yeah, it’s probably more fun for you guys,” LaFleur said Wednesday. “It’s a challenge for both teams, but that’s what makes this league so great is the competitive balance and watching two really good teams late in December go at it for a lot at stake.”

He’s right. It doesn’t get any better than this unless the teams meet in the playoffs, which is pretty likely at this point.

They go into Saturday with the Bears as the No. 2 seed as the division leader at 10-4 and the Packers seventh at 9-4-1, putting them on track to meet in the wild-card round. If the Bears win, they’ll both hold steady, and if the Packers win, they would switch spots and remain on course for each other with two games left in the regular season.

Johnson is giving LaFleur the fight that predecessors Matt Eberflus and Matt Nagy always talked about giving him, but never could. The Lions, Johnson’s former team, have actually been a far more pressing concern and had split against LaFleur before the Packers swept them this season.

LaFleur went 11-0 against Eberflus and Nagy, often embarrassing them with blowout victories, but in Johnson’s debut in the rivalry, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was throwing into the end zone from the 14-yard line to tie or win the game. Even in defeat, Johnson made it known he’s going to be a problem.

“I don’t want to get into comparisons [with Eberflus and Nagy], but what they do offensively is very sound and it’s a good scheme,” LaFleur said, then raved about the Bears’ personnel upgrades and how Johnson uses them. “When you combine good players with good scheme, generally speaking, you get good results.”

LaFleur was nothing but complimentary of Johnson and had no interest in furthering any beef, real or perceived. When asked about the widespread reaction to their handshake, including from Fox broadcaster Tom Brady, he said, “I didn’t think anything of it, to be honest with you.”

Still, the context tells the story on both fronts.

When LaFleur said he didn’t want to make any comparisons between Johnson and his predecessors, then went on and on about everything Johnson is doing right, the implication about Eberflus and Nagy is obvious.

And while he and Johnson have downplayed their frosty exchange, it’s important to remember that Johnson took aim at LaFleur by name in his introductory news conference in January and LaFleur chirped back a few months later. It’s hard to imagine those two sitting together courtside at a Marquette game as LaFleur and Eberflus did last year.

The tension is elevated further this season by the teams playing each other twice in a three-week span for the first time since 1998. The Bears’ late rally, Williams’ interception on the final play and every physical and verbal jab is still fresh in everyone’s mind. If anything, there probably will be more friction, not less, when everybody sees each other again Saturday.