Sean McVay is no stranger to the postseason spotlight, and this weekend he’ll square off against a fresh face on the sideline: rookie head coach Ben Johnson. The Los Angeles Rams are riding high into the Divisional Round after dispatching the Carolina Panthers, but now they face a surging Chicago Bears squad that pulled off a dramatic comeback win over Matt LaFleur’s Green Bay Packers.
And speaking of LaFleur-don’t be surprised if McVay has a little extra intel heading into this one.
The Rams head coach didn’t exactly deny getting some help from his longtime friend and coaching counterpart. When asked if he’d spoken with LaFleur about the Bears, McVay gave a knowing smile and said, “What would you guess?
No, you know what, we watch the tape, we do our work, and Matt is a very close friend of mine.” The room broke into laughter, but the message was clear: there’s a good chance these two are comparing notes.
McVay and LaFleur go way back, both branches of the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree, and their mutual respect runs deep. It wouldn’t be surprising if LaFleur, still stinging from a playoff exit at the hands of Ben Johnson’s Bears, had a few pointers for McVay on how to avoid the same fate.
For Johnson and the Bears, Sunday’s game is another chance to prove they belong. They were all but written off in the Wild Card round, trailing 21-3 against Green Bay in what looked like a runaway win for the Packers.
But the Bears didn’t fold. Instead, they clawed back with a 25-6 run in the fourth quarter, flipping the script and punching their ticket to the Divisional Round.
That kind of resilience is hard to game-plan for. Chicago didn’t just survive-they surged, riding a wave of momentum that’s now carrying them into a high-stakes showdown with one of the NFL’s most seasoned playoff coaches.
The postgame handshake between LaFleur and Johnson raised some eyebrows, with cameras catching a brief, tense exchange that’s since sparked plenty of conversation. Whether it was frustration, disappointment, or something more personal, it’s clear there’s no love lost. And if LaFleur took notes, McVay might be the one cashing in.
The Rams will need every edge they can get. Johnson may be a rookie head coach, but he’s got his team believing-and more importantly, executing when it matters most. McVay’s playoff experience and offensive creativity will be tested against a Bears team that’s already proven it can weather adversity and come out swinging.
So, as the Rams prepare for what could be a grind-it-out battle, don’t overlook the behind-the-scenes strategy sessions between two of the league’s brightest minds. McVay may not say it outright, but there’s a good chance he’s got LaFleur’s insights in his back pocket-and he’ll need them against a Bears team that just won’t go away quietly.