The Green Bay Packers are in the rearview mirror. The Los Angeles Rams are coming to Soldier Field for an NFC divisional-round game Sunday against the Chicago Bears.
But before we turn the page on Saturday’s epic comeback, the Tribune’s Brad Biggs fields one more question in his weekly Bears mailbag about coach Ben Johnson stoking the Packers rivalry.
What is your opinion of Ben Johnson turning up the volume on the rivalry with Green Bay to 10? — Craig W., St. Charles
I’m having trouble hearing you, Craig. It’s that loud!
Here’s my take: The most important thing is the Bears have, at long last, found a way to beat the Packers in meaningful games: the Week 16 meeting at Soldier Field and the wild-card game Saturday. Heck, just beating Green Bay in any game registers as an accomplishment around here. The Bears have 17 wins in the series since 1993, the year Dave Wannstedt was hired as head coach, and they were throttled by Aaron Rodgers and — before this season — coach Matt LaFleur.
Column: Should Bears coach Ben Johnson’s postgame Packers remark have stayed behind closed doors?
I don’t believe Johnson has anything against LaFleur personally. They don’t really know each other. More than anything, Johnson has been speaking to the fans. He is super impressed by the raucous home crowds and wants to tap into that. He’s speaking to ownership and bringing to life its sentiments. At times, he’s speaking to his players with his comments about the Packers. Maybe he saw the initial reaction after he referenced LaFleur during his introductory news conference and said, “You know what? I’ll double down on this. Then I’ll triple down on it.”
Last week, he may have been able to turn a few comments from Packers players and coaches into bulletin-board material for his players in a bid to give them a little edge.
Johnson is calculated with everything he does — he’s not just popping off — and there’s no way the team would have released the “F−−− the Packers” postgame video from the locker room unless he wholly approved. Johnson has embraced the rivalry by grabbing it with all the might in both of his arms and giving it a Bear hug. He grew up in North Carolina. He played for the Tar Heels. He has a very good idea of what one of the best rivalries in sports — North Carolina-Duke — is all about. He has decided to lean all the way into one of the best rivalries in the NFL.
As the coach of the Bears, Johnson will have a target on his back in the Bears-Packers rivalry no matter what he does. If he’s going to wear a target, it looks to me like he figures he might as well have some fun with it. And the messaging is really for the fans, who haven’t had a lot to laugh about or celebrate when it comes to this series over the last three decades or so.
It just so happens the boss at Halas Hall — Chairman George McCaskey — is generally fixated on beating Green Bay.
“The Bears have more wins than any other team in NFL history,” McCaskey told me during a long interview in June 2011. “But we do not have more championships than any other team. Our goal is to be tops in both categories, so when the defending Super Bowl champion is your archrival, your division rival, that is extra motivation. We want to get going on the 2011 season. We need to beat (the Packers) twice. Three times, if necessary.”
The Bears beat the Packers twice this season. They ended Green Bay’s season. The Packers have 13 championships, four more than the Bears, and also have passed the Bears on the all-time list for regular-season wins: 819 to 808. From McCaskey’s perspective, Johnson has more work to be done.
What’s the most troublesome element the Bears will have to deal with on Sunday? I am assuming the Rams offense because it’s been a high-scoring machine. — Len A., Lemont
Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua reacts after a first down against the Panthers on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)
Good, let’s turn the focus to Sunday’s big game. Los Angeles led the league in scoring with 30.5 points per game and topped 35 in six games. The Rams put up 34 in their wild-card victory over the Carolina Panthers. They ranked seventh in red-zone offense and second in sacks allowed per pass attempt, and the prolific passing attack probably overshadows a running game that finished seventh. The Rams were second in the league in first-quarter scoring (6.7 points per game), so the Bears won’t want to have another slow offensive start.
To me, that’s a huge key for this game. Can Ben Johnson, Caleb Williams and the offense shake off the lethargic and clunky starts that have plagued them too often in the second half of the season? Start punting or turning the ball over on downs against the Rams, and the deficit late in the game might be too much to overcome against an opponent that should be able to run a four-minute offense more crisply than the Packers just did.
The Rams defensive front is talented and deep, and that’s concering after the Detroit Lions did a pretty good job of getting after Williams in Week 18. Aidan Hutchinson had eight pressures in that game, and the Rams with Byron Young, Jared Verse, Braden Fiske and Kobie Turner present a real challenge for the Bears offensive line.
Los Angeles got hit for 219 rushing yards in a Week 17 loss in Atlanta and 171 the week before against the Seattle Seahawks, so it’s possible the Bears can get the ground game cranked up — though something has been a little off for D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai of late.
The Rams are a very good team, and it’s easy to see why they topped many power rankings for much of the season. The Bears have their work cut out for them on both sides of the ball.
Worried about the matchup against Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. What’s one area the Bears can exploit in this game? — Rich R., Johnsburg
Bears wide receiver Devin Duvernay returns a kickoff in the third quarter against the Packers on Jan. 10, 2026, at Soldier Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Special teams. Los Angeles had major issues in that phase this season, and Sean McVay fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn after the Dec. 18 loss in Seattle, in which the Rams allowed a punt-return touchdown and had a key missed field goal in a 38-37 overtime loss.
The Rams ranked last in the league by allowing 16 yards per punt return, and one element of the Bears’ win over the Packers that hasn’t gotten enough attention was Devin Duvernay’s three punt returns for 64 yards, including a 37-yarder.
Los Angeles is on its second kicker this season, and while the Rams have been excellent on kickoff coverage, their special teams overall are spotty — at best. I should point out they punted only 50 times in the regular season. Only five teams had fewer punts. The Bears had 62. So to really gain an upper hand on special teams, the Bears have to force Rams punter Ethan Evans to perform in nonideal conditions for kicking.
My eyes tell me Caleb Williams throws a lot more over the middle vs. last year and a lot more effectively. Are there stats to back that up? — Mike B., Palatine
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams looks for an open receiver during the first quarter against the Packers on Jan. 10, 2026, at Soldier Field. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
I would have thought the same thing, but the difference on passes between the numbers from 2024 to 2025 isn’t dramatic.
2025: 67.5% completion, 2,186 yards, 16 TDs, 4 INTs, 280 attempts, 76.8 QBR
2024: 74.4%, 1,841 yards, 9 TDs, 1 INT, 248 attempts, 77.6 QBR
Basically, there was a slight uptick in attempts between the numbers and more touchdowns. But I think the Bears are much more dangerous in the middle of the field this season with emerging tight end Colston Loveland and the in-breaking routes that are such a big part of Ben Johnson’s scheme.
This is will be something to keep a close eye on Sunday because if the Bears can block the Rams up front, there will be plays to be made downfield. Los Angeles has a collection of castoffs and Day 3 draft picks in the secondary. The team has put its investments on defense into the line. The Rams played 61.3% zone coverage this season, the 13th-highest figure in the league, with a lot of Cover-2 and Cover-4.
The Bears need to be able to lift the safeties — run them off — and create a middle-of-the-field void for Williams to throw the ball on deep in-breakers, crossers, overs and seam shots to the tight ends. When Williams is working outside the numbers, the Bears probably will run a lot of flood routes. They had a bunch of flood routes against the Packers, with Loveland catching three passes of 20-plus yards on those routes.
When the Bears do get man coverage against the Rams, that will be the time to take shots. Anything between third-and-2 and third-and-6 will be a great chance to test the cornerbacks with DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III.
Maybe the Bears will design more max protection for this game. Keep extra blockers in to buy time for Williams and send two receivers out in the pattern with a check-down.
There was a stark contrast in the Bears’ defensive performance in the first half on Saturday compared to the second. To the layman, it appeared the second half included more press coverage, jamming receivers at the line and more players in the box. What did you see? — Jeff Z., Sarasota, Fla.
Dennis Allen definitely got more aggressive in the second half as the Bears fought back from a 21-3 deficit. They played 68% man coverage in the second half, and I agree, it was a lot more press coverage with grabby, aggressive cornerback play near the line of scrimmage. They didn’t win every rep, but with the pass rush getting home more regularly and more blitzes (35.5% in the second half), it worked.
There’s risk in a blitz-heavy approach, and Matthew Stafford has been highly effective against five or more pass rushers. It will be really interesting to see what kind of plan Allen devises for this game because, as I said above, this isn’t the kind of offense the Bears want to be playing catch-up against.
How valuable is the way the battle for left tackle turned out? All three ended up getting in-game experience. Might not have the best on the roster on the field, but better second and third choices than many in the league? — @glen_ring
Bears offensive tackle Theo Benedet (79) and teammates wait to take the field for a game against the 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on Dec. 28, 2025, in Santa Clara. ((John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
I think the Bears, in the back of their minds, probably knew they would be playing multiple left tackles over the course of the season. That’s the vibe you got during training camp, when the coaching staff made it clear the position would be evaluated regularly. Braxton Jones was replaced by Theo Benedet late in the second quarter of the Week 4 game in Las Vegas, and when Benedet was injured, Ozzy Trapilo moved in for the Week 12 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It’s a little difficult to evaluate second and third left tackle options around the league, but it has worked out for the Bears. Ben Johnson, offensive line coach Dan Roushar and the rest of the offensive assistants have found a work-around in the games in which there was a real threat on that side. They’ll need to account for ways to help Benedet, who I believe will be the starter Sunday. Jones was restored from IR to the 53-man roster Tuesday, but I don’t see the Bears turning to a guy who was benched Sept. 28 as the next man up.
Now that Ozzy Trapilo is done for the season at left tackle and probably for the majority of next season, does that change the Bears’ draft plans in April? Edge rusher and overall defense are the most important positions to improve, but is OT now added to the list? — Chad Z.
Bears offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo (75) tries to shed defenders off of running back Kyle Monangai (25) in the fourth quarter against the Packers on Jan. 10, 2026, at Soldier Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
For starters, I don’t want to get into the speculation game as to the severity of Trapilo’s injury. Ben Johnson said after the Green Bay game that it “sounds like a patellar” injury in his left knee. That’s not good, but the severity of the injury and a potential timetable for recovery and rehabilitation probably won’t be known until surgery is performed.
Left tackle has loomed all season somewhere between a definite and possible need for 2026. I don’t think you can say Trapilo played to a level that he had the job for next season locked down. At the same time, you couldn’t rule out that possibility. It was going to require a lot of study and meetings, stuff that happens in the offseason. The team has to candidly evaluate Trapilo, honestly assess where they think he could be in Year 2 and then look at possible alternatives and weigh the cost in terms of money or a draft pick.
If it’s a long recovery road for Trapilo, the Bears would require those same kind of conversations about Theo Benedet and then make a decision. It’s possible left tackle has moved closer to being a definite need after Trapilo’s injury.
Is Jaylon Johnson feeling better? He made a handful of nice plays last game. I only saw him get beat when Jordan Love had extended periods to throw. — @mrdrlevymike
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Column: Should Bears coach Ben Johnson’s postgame Packers remark have stayed behind closed doors?
I thought Johnson looked more confident with his technique and fundamentals, and in turn that allowed him to play faster. He had two pass breakups and was sticky in coverage on a handful of plays. Physically, he’s getting a little stronger each week. Johnson and the rest of the secondary will have their hands full this week with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
Has Dennis Allen ever used the Bill Belichick/Nick Saban move of having his best cover corner go 1-on-1 with the second-best wide receiver while double-teaming the best receiver with their second-best cornerback and another defensive back? This move seems a smart consideration for Puka Nacua. — @tom_papp11
I’m sure, at some point, Allen has probably used every coverage tactic you can think of. He is versatile and crafty and seeks to put his players in the best position to succeed on a weekly basis. That’s one of the beauties of Allen. He doesn’t have “his system” that he plays no matter the opponent. He uses a good amount of deception but does it in a way in which his players can play fast.
This is an interesting idea. But how comfortable are you with Davante Adams in a lot of man-to-man coverage against pick-a-Bears-cornerback? That sounds like a recipe for a potentially big day for Adams.
I imagine Allen will come in with a couple of concepts and look to mix things up. The Bears have to prepare to stop a potent running game, too, with Kyren Williams and Blake Corum.
How is Matt Stafford in the cold? — @mosconml
Barring a significant change in Sunday’s forecast, this will be the coldest game Stafford has played in. I found 18 instances of games Stafford has started when the temperature at kickoff was below 40 degrees, and five of them were played at Soldier Field.
Stafford is 8-10 in those games, but there’s a big difference between a game with the temperature in the 30s and the possibility it’s in the mid-teens when the game kicks off at 5:30 p.m. Sunday.
Brrrrr down: The coldest Chicago Bears games played at Soldier Field
According to Pro Football Reference, the coldest game Stafford has played in was a 23-degree day last season at MetLife Stadium, where the Rams beat the New York Jets 19-9. Stafford was 14 of 19 for 110 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
It was snowing and cold last January in Philadelphia when the Eagles defeated the Rams 28-22 in the divisional round. Stafford played pretty well against an excellent defense, completing 26 of 44 passes for 324 yards and two touchdowns. In a 2013 snow game in Philadelphia, Stafford had a miserable game for the Lions, completing 10 of 25 passes for 151 yards and fumbling five times, losing one.
One of his best games has come in the cold, though. He threw for a career-high 520 yards (third-most in an NFL game since 2000) and five touchdowns in a 45-41 loss Jan. 1, 2012, in Green Bay. It was 31 degrees that day with 20 mph winds. What is that game most remembered for? Matt Flynn made himself money for a lifetime as the Packers backup quarterback threw for six touchdowns, parlaying that performance into a three-year, $20.5 million free-agent contract with the Seahawks.
Stafford was raised in Texas, played in the SEC at Georgia and played home games indoors for the Lions before going to Los Angeles. But the Lions practiced outside when they were preparing for road games in cold-weather cities such as Chicago. So this won’t be his first frigid rodeo.
“I played a handful of games there throughout the years,” Stafford told Jim Gray on the SiriusXM podcast “Let’s Go.” “The good thing for us is it was windy this past week in Carolina. I think every kickoff, it seemed like somebody had to come out and hold it. It was getting blown off the tee, blown off the tee, blown off the tee.
“We’ve dealt with that before. You just adjust to whatever the weather allows you to do. And if it’s just cold with a little bit of wind, we go play. You know, I love that kind of stuff. I mean, that’s playoff football, right? Cold weather in Chicago, windy day, there’s nothing better than that in my mind, so I’m excited for it.”
Here are Stafford’s career starts when the game-time temperature was 39 degrees or lower:
With the Lions
Dec. 6, 2009, at Bengals: 11 of 26, 143 yards, 1 TD-2 INTs, 23-13 loss, 34 degrees (7 mph wind)
Jan. 1, 2012, at Packers: 36 of 59, 520, 5-2, 45-41 loss, 31 degrees (20 mph wind)
Dec. 9, 2012, at Packers: 27 of 45, 264, 1-1, 27-20 loss, 33 degrees (10 mph wind)
Dec. 8, 2013, at Eagles: 10 of 25, 151, 0-0, 34-20 loss, 27 degrees (6 mph wind)
Dec. 21, 2014, at Bears: 22 of 39, 243, 0-2, 20-14 win, 36 degrees (13 mph wind)
Dec. 28, 2014, at Packers: 20 of 41, 217, 3-0, 30-20 win, 27 degrees (5 mph wind)
Jan. 3, 2016, at Bears: 28 of 39, 298, 3-0, 24-20 win, 31 degrees (15 mph wind)
Jan. 7, 2017, at Seahawks: 18 of 32, 205, 0-0, 26-6 loss, 38 degrees (7 mph wind)
Nov. 6, 2017, at Packers: 26 of 33, 361, 2-0, 30-17 win, 35 degrees (3 mph wind)
Nov. 19, 2017, at Bears: 21 of 31, 299, 2-0, 27-24 win, 33 degrees (16 mph wind)
Dec. 24, 2017, at Bengals: 19 of 35, 203, 1-1, 26-17 loss, 35 degrees (2 mph wind)
Nov. 11, 2018, at Bears: 25 of 42, 274, 2-2, 34-22 loss, 37 degrees (12 mph wind)
Dec. 16, 2018, at Bills: 22 of 29, 208, 1-0, 14-13 loss, 39 degrees (7 mph wind)
Dec. 30, 2018, at Packers: 20 of 32, 266, 2-0, 31-0 win, 26 degrees (15 mph wind)
Dec. 6, 2020, at Bears: 27 of 42, 402, 3-1, 34-30 win, 35 degrees (5 mph wind)
With the Rams
Nov. 28, 2021, at Packers: 21 of 38, 302, 3-1, 36-28 loss, 37 degrees (14 mph wind)
Dec. 22, 2024, at Jets: 14 of 19, 110, 1-1, 19-9 win, 23 degrees (8 mph wind)
Jan. 19, 2025, at Eagles: 26 of 44, 324, 2-0, 28-22 loss, 34 degrees (8 mph wind)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/14/chicago-bears-mailbag-los-angeles-rams-playoffs/
