Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Ben Johnson opened his tenure as the Bears’ coach with a shot at Matt LaFleur and now has to back it up with the Bears’ playoff lives on the line. The football gods hear everything.
Beating the Packers in the playoffs is the ultimate test of The Ben Johnson Effect. Johnson’s rejuvenating impact in his first season has been undeniable. The Bears were 11-6 in 2025 after going 3-14, 7-10 and 5-12 in three seasons under Matt Eberflus and interim coach Thomas Brown. Their offense improved from 28th to ninth in scoring. Caleb Williams’ sack total dropped from an NFL-high 68 to 24.