Bear Digest

Ben Johnson gives out a playoff win total Bears absolutely must hit

It's going to take more for the Bears to get to the playoffs than beating the Eagles and even as top seeds now coach Ben Johnson sees a win number ahead as a requirement.
Gene Chamberlain|
Veterans like DJ Moore know what's needed to beat the Packers and get to the playoffs.
Veterans like DJ Moore know what's needed to beat the Packers and get to the playoffs. | Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

It remains a 1-0 philosophy for the Bears as they try to win whatever game is ahead of them, and this week it's the rival Green Bay Packers.

Coach Ben Johnson doesn't want his team looking ahead, and this has been apparent from the time their stretch of nine wins in 10 games began.

However, it doesn't mean Johnson has ignored the standings. The Bears' coach on Monday gave his opinion on what it will take to get into the playoffs.

“The emphasis has always been we’re just looking to win the next game," Johnson said. "Just like I told the group this morning. The job is not done.

“We haven’t accomplished anything yet."

The Bears are top seeds by taking this approach.

"We’re nine wins," Johnson said. "I think this year, you’re probably gonna have to get to 11 to make it in the tournament.

"That’s what we need to do. We’ve got to get there first. We’ve got to find a way to get there, and the only way to do that is to find a way to be 1-0 this week.”

He's probably right. The Seahawks last year missed the playoffs at 10-7.

Winning 11 would seem a number to guarantee a playoff spot, considering how many of the teams involved in the hunt have games against each other or divisional rivals in the closing weeks.

Rivalry prevents looking ahead

Getting ahead of themselves might be an issue to worry about against some opponents, but not against the Packers this week.

Johnson immediately called attention to the rivalry when he came to Chicago by prodding and poking at Packers coach Matt LaFleur, saying he liked beating him twice a year.

"We've had the same mindset since the beginning of the season," defensive end Austin Booker said. "It's going to be a big game because it's the next game, but it's also Green Bay so we always want to beat Green Bay."

If there are any doubts about that or questions over the importance of this, Johnson had a plan to indoctrinate the younger players who lack an appreciation for the rivalry.

Team owner George McCaskey was slated to talk to the rookies about it on Monday.

"We do rookie programming every week with those guys and it just so happened to be on the docket today where he’s (McCaskey) going to touch on the rivalry a little bit," Johnson said. "Our players will be well informed of what that’s about.

"The guys that have been here certainly know and they understand, but we have a number of new faces, so they’ll know by the end of the week.”

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.