Jaylon Johnson on Silencing Aaron Rodgers
Jaylon Johnson knew it all along.
The Bears cornerback had no doubt his team was going to face Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers despite some injuries. He also had no doubt his team's quarterback, Justin Fields, was going to try to make a run at playing despite a separated shoulder.
"I mean, I never had a doubt he wasn't going to play," Johnson said about Rodgers. "I mean he's that type of guy.
"He's always going to find a way to get in there and play, especially a game like this, on a rivalry game. I mean for me, I didn't expect nothing of it. I'm used to playing against him at this point."
Rodgers is well known now for hollering at the Bears and fans in general, "I still own you," in the last game at Soldier Field, and Johnson said the Bears can't really be too offended.
After all, they've lost to Rodgers 23 of 28 times they faced him.
"He's a talker, honestly," Johnson said. "Like he said last time he came here, he was saying he owned us and talking to the fans a certain way.
"So I mean, he's just a real fierce competitor and like, at the end of the day, we've got to find a way to get that taste out of our mouth, as well. You gotta put in action to be able to stop a talker like that."
Johnson considers Rodgers one of the trash-talking kings.
"Oh 100%," he said. "Now he's one of the good ones. He's one of the best in the league for sure at talking and backing it up."
Likewise, Johnson wasn't surprised to see Justin Fields come out and take in a full practice on Thursday for the first time since suffering his separated left shoulder. Coaches had said all week they thought Fields would be limited in practice like last week, but he wasn't on Thursday and that increases chances he'll start against the Packers after missing the 31-10 loss to the Jets.
"There's lots of ways quarterbacks and players in this league display toughness but he does it in all areas," Johnson said of Fields.
He considers Fields a leader by example and leaders by example don't sit if they can find a way to get on the field.
"For me, it's no surprise," Johnson said. "I mean, he's a soldier. I thought he was going to be back out there whenever he can. I feel like he's good enough to be out there. He looks good at practice being himself.
"So I'm looking forward to him and 12 going at it."
Johnson will have his own problems to worry about on Sunday without being preoccupied with Rodgers or Fields. He will suddenly be the senior player and top player in a secondary still in tatters.
After losing safety Eddie Jackson for the season due to an ankle injury, the Bears on Thursday are still without starting slot cornerback Kyler Gordon and starting safety Jaquan Brisker due to concussions suffered Nov. 20 at Atlanta.
"I mean, it's a lot harder, especially like for me," Johnson said. "It's like having those guys I was comfortable with being gone, so now I'm kind of having to fill that (leader) role and really fill that role with some young guys. So, I mean, it's not like we're getting new veterans in.
"We're still trying to get guys to develop and learn the defense and things like that so it definitely makes communicating (Sunday) more important, just makes the little things, like, more vital in a situation like this."
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