Packers vs. Bears: Rivalry Heats Up with NFC North Supremacy on the Line
Week 14 might not be the flashiest slate on the schedule, but one game jumps off the page-and it’s got all the ingredients of a classic NFC North showdown. The Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears are set to clash in a game that’s not just about bragging rights-this one carries serious playoff weight.
Let’s set the table. Green Bay has had an up-and-down ride this season, but they’ve still managed to tally eight wins and keep themselves firmly in the playoff hunt.
Meanwhile, the Bears are sitting atop the division at 9-3 under first-year head coach Ben Johnson. It hasn’t always been pretty, but the Bears have found ways to win.
And in December, that’s what matters.
But this isn’t just about records. This is Packers vs.
Bears. And this year, it’s personal.
Ben Johnson’s Bold Introduction to the Rivalry
Johnson, who spent years as a key assistant in Detroit, didn’t exactly extend an olive branch to Green Bay when he took over in Chicago. During his introductory press conference, Johnson made a point to praise his former boss Dan Campbell and Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell-both of whom have been in the Coach of the Year conversation.
But when it came to Packers head coach Matt LaFleur? Johnson didn’t hold back.
“I’ve got a tremendous amount of respect for the coaches and players in this league,” Johnson said. “Dan Campbell, Kevin O’Connell-you talk about two guys up for Coach of the Year. And to be quite frank with you, I kinda enjoyed beating Matt LaFleur twice a year.”
That’s not exactly the warmest welcome to one of football’s oldest rivalries. And LaFleur didn’t let the comment slide.
LaFleur Responds: “I Don’t Know Him”
FOX Sports insider Jay Glazer recently shed more light on the tension during a segment on the network. According to Glazer, there’s no personal history between LaFleur and Johnson-no friendship, no background, no bad blood… until now.
“I called Matt LaFleur and said, ‘I didn’t know you guys were tight,’” Glazer recalled. “He goes, ‘We’re not.
I don’t know him. I’m shocked over this.’”
Glazer added that Johnson’s remarks were likely meant to stir the pot-to energize Bears fans and inject some heat into a rivalry that’s already one of the fiercest in the NFL. And to Johnson’s credit, it’s worked. This game suddenly means more than just a spot in the standings.
Playoff Stakes Add Fuel to the Fire
Beyond the war of words, there’s real football on the line. The Bears enter the game as the current No. 1 seed in the NFC.
But a loss to the Packers would send them tumbling all the way to the No. 7 seed. For Green Bay, a win would vault them back into first place in the division.
In other words: this isn’t just about pride. This is about positioning.
LaFleur now has the perfect opportunity to respond-not with a quote, but with a win. A victory over the Bears would not only flip the NFC North standings, but it would also serve as a statement from LaFleur and the Packers: this rivalry still runs through Green Bay.
A Rivalry Renewed
Packers vs. Bears has always been about more than football.
It’s about tradition, legacy, and every hard-fought battle in the trenches. But this year, it’s also about a new head coach trying to make his mark-and a veteran coach who’s not interested in being a stepping stone.
The stakes are high, the tension is real, and the playoff implications are massive. Buckle up-this one’s going to be fun.