How Ben Johnson Is Prepping for Rams Considering the Sean McVay-Matt LaFleur Connection

One week after knocking out the Packers, Ben Johnson is tasked with taking down Matt LaFleur’s good friend Sean McVay.

Ben Johnson led the Bears to an 11–6 record and an NFC North title in his first season as head coach. | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

One week after sending home Matt LaFleur and the rival Packers in the wild-card round, Bears coach Ben Johnson will battle LaFleur’s good friend Sean McVay and the Rams in the divisional round Sunday evening.

Much has been made about the historic Bears-Packers rivalry growing even more intense as Chicago rises to prominence in the NFC North. It all began in Johnson’s introductory press conference when he noted he’s looking forward to the opportunity to beat LaFleur and the Packers twice per year. He backed up his comments by knocking Green Bay out of the postseason, and celebrated that win with a much-discussed fly-by handshake with LaFleur and chanting ‘F--- the Packers!’ in the locker room.

RELATED: A Modern History of Controversial NFL Coach Postgame Handshakes

Leading up to the Bears-Rams clash, it was noted by NFL insider Peter Schrager that Johnson’s actions aren’t sitting well with McVay’s coaching tree around the league. McVay himself was asked earlier this week if he heard from LaFleur as Los Angeles prepares for the matchup against the Bears.

“What would you guess?” McVay said in response with a smile. “No, you know what—we watch the tape, we do our work, and Matt is a very close friend of mine.”

On Friday, two days before kickoff at Soldier Field, Johnson was questioned if those conversations between McVay and LaFleur impact the Bears’ game plan at all for the divisional round.

“No,” Johnson said in a press conference. “This league in general, I think every week, everyone tries to share what they had from the week before with your next opponent. I think that’s common practice. That’s something you just keep on doing. Like I said all along, there’s a million ways you can do things, a million plays you can call. We’re going to do what we feel like is best for that particular week with the players that we have going against the opponent that we’re going against.”

Johnson was then asked if the rivalry with Matt LaFleur extends to his brother Mike LaFleur—the Rams’ offensive coordinator under McVay. His answer?

“No.”

The Rams-Bears showdown, featuring a couple of the best offensive minds in football and two exciting quarterbacks in Matthew Stafford and Caleb Williams, kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET Sunday from Soldier Field.

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