Ben Johnson, Bears captains define what’s required for NFL playoff success

6 days ago 2

CHICAGO – The Bears played a game Sunday that was largely inconsequential. Their 19-16 loss to the Detroit Lions didn’t hold negative ramifications, with Philadelphia’s loss to Washington handing Chicago the No. 2 overall seed in the NFC playoffs.

They’ll get two home playoff games at least, if they advance, played right here at Soldier Field.

Head coach Ben Johnson expressed zero regret about playing his starters in Week 18, while others, including a Green Bay Packers team they’ll face in the NFC wild-card round.

“Some teams, they rest their starters. We don’t. We play football,” Johnson said in his postgame press conference. “We felt like it was really important that we were playing our best ball here today, and we didn’t get that job done. We’re quickly turning that page, and now we’ve got a home game coming on up.”

Johnson’s postgame comments about moving on quickly are even more important now that the Bears are playing on a short week. The NFL announced that the Bears and Packers will play on Saturday night, with a 7 p.m. CT kickoff at Soldier Field.

[MORE: NFL playoff schedule: Bears’ wild-card round game vs. Packers set for Saturday]

That’s an important aspect of the messaging from player leadership, which has plenty of playoff experience. Right guard Joe Thuney has won four Super Bowls and played in six. Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett has been to the Super Bowl. Safety Kevin Byard III has been to a conference title game.

Quarterback Caleb Williams is the outlier in just his second season. Cole Kmet’s the only homegrown player to have played in the postseason, so there’s lots of new experiences ahead.

“It’s a new season,” Jarrett said. “Let’s hit reset and put our best foot forward. Our best is required every day. That’s everything from the games we play and the way we prepare, the way we eat, the way we think, the way we talk. The very best is required. Now it’s time to go to work.”

[READ: Lions 19, Bears 16: Three observations in Chicago’s NFL Week 18 loss]

That will be the mindset all week, to maximize every moment.

“Win or go home,” Byard said. “As a leader, I’m going to do everything I possibly can, within myself to prepare, to make sure we’re all on the same page with what we’re doing. When we get to the game, we have to be playing like we’re starving for it.”

The Bears will be starved for better that recent results. They’re entering the postseason having lost two straight, albeit on decisive plays against the 49ers and Lions as time expired.

“It’s aggravating. It’s frustrating,” Williams said. “The good thing about it is we’re going into the playoffs here, and we’ve got to find ways to get better. The focus has to level up. The urgency has to level up. The play has to level up. The mindset, mentality on the field has to level up because that’s what playoff football is.”

Playoff football between teams in the NFL’s oldest rivalry certainly levels things up.

They split their season series with Green Bay in similar fashion, losing on a Williams interception in the end zone in Week 14 and winning on a Williams touchdown pass in Week 16.

While the hype train surrounding this game has already ramped up, Thuney is guarding against riding it.

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“Don’t look too far ahead,” Thuney said. “Just focus on the day and what you can do to prepare. Do that every day until we get to the game.”

The Bears must play better than they have in recent weeks against a well-rested Packers squad.

“We’ve got to play better going forward,” Johnson said. “We’ve got to coach better going forward as well. We’re turning the page, though. We’ve got the number two seed. We’ve got a home game next week, and we’ve got a new season on the horizon. Our guys should be reinvigorated by that. I know I certainly am. I’m looking forward to the opportunity and all that that entails and the opportunity to go 1-0 this next week.”

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