Bear Digest

Why Ben Johnson's Bears believe trap games are not in their DNA

The Browns might appear to be an ideal team to catch the Bears asleep, but looking past a struggling opponent now doesn't fit the profile for how they've built this team.
Gene Chamberlain|
Bears safety Kevin Byard can't see his team getting caught in a trap game when they've constantly stressed not looking ahead.
Bears safety Kevin Byard can't see his team getting caught in a trap game when they've constantly stressed not looking ahead. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

 There are three main reasons the Bears say they won't be caught looking ahead to a rematch with Green Bay when they face Cleveland Sunday at Soldier Field.

If only you had a dollar for every team saying this you might be able to afford NFL Red Zone or some of the streaming networks the NFL is turning over all of its games to in the holiday season.

In the Bears' case, there seems to be a reason for believing it based on the rest of this season and the coaching staff.

The first reason to think they'll maintain focus simply is taking care of business. They're not going to have a rematch for the division lead with the Packers if they lose this week to Cleveland. They know it.

The second is as obvious as the 20 sacks Myles Garrett has, only 2 1/2 shy of the NFL record. It's hard to overlook an onrushing semi coming at 90 mph, and that's what Garrett looks like at times. Of course, Cleveland has their full attention or Caleb Williams is going to get trampled.

The main reason

Finally, it's something they've talked about all year. It's not in their DNA, or at least their training, to look past anyone. As cliche as their "1-0" approach has been, it has worked so far. That's the idea they need in order to go 1-0 this week, and that's it.

"We need this win. We desperately need this win.”
Ben Johnson

“Some people will call this a classic trap game or whatever it may be," safety Kevin Byard said. "I don't really believe in trap games in the league. I think every single week you have to bring your best ball regardless of records.

"This is the National Football League and every team and everybody's playing for something regardless of what the record is."

The Bears were the Browns last year

Besides, when it was only last year that they were firing coaches and losing 10 straight, the memory of embarrassments is too strong to expect trap games.

"I remember us last year not having a great record, but every single week we went out there, we played for the name on the front of the jersey, the name on the back of the jersey, playing for pride," Byard said. "We cannot take this team lightly at all.

"The reality is that we have Cleveland coming up and then the next three weeks is against–there are three playoff spots outside of division. Then you’ve got four or five other teams that's fighting for whether it’s a division lead or wild-card spots. We have to be playing our best ball this time of the year and it starts this week against Cleveland.”

The Browns might be 3-10 but Johnson and the Bears have constantly preached this 1-0 philosophy all year, the idea that if they avoid all distractions and go 1-0 each week then they can't fail.

Passing it down to rookies

The veterans all know how to take this approach and Johnson has them teaching the rookies.

"I think we’ve got a good group of leaders that, they keep the main thing, the main thing," Johnson said. "That’s what we've been talking about. And so, it helps when the younger players are hearing that constantly, that they do the best that they can to avoid the distractions.

"I think it's harder now this day and age than ever before. It's so easy to get caught up on what's being said outside of the building, but, we just try to keep the focus on how we see it, the truth that we see it, and how we can continue to get better. There's a number of things that we did on Sunday that we need to clean up and we know we are better than what we put on tape in a number of areas. That's really where we're striving to improve is cleaning that stuff up. We will focus on that.”

This seems unlikely to fail them when they need it most, after it's been their mantra throughout the year.

"Every game matters," Johnson said. "That's where this week, you go from an emotional rivalry game, like we just played. This week is equally important.

"We need this win. We desperately need this win.”

Johnson saying that alone should be enough to keep anyone from looking past Cleveland to a Green Bay rematch after the way he's commanded their attention all year.

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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.