Bears' Ben Johnson: 'We’re all in with everything we’re doing'
Not long after the Bears lost their season finale to the Lions, coach Ben Johnson huddled his team together and told them that it was time to focus. If they were thinking about vacation or whatever comes next after the season ends, he said, then they shouldn't come to Halas Hall at all.
"The intent behind that is to let the young players, who haven’t been here before, understand that we’re all in with everything we’re doing," Johnson said Thursday. "The here and the now …
"You don’t take it for granted. … You want to make sure that everybody is focused on winning the next game."
That next game is Saturday night against the rival Packers at Soldier Field. It's only the third time the two have ever met in a playoff game. Thursday marked the Bears' last practice until game time.
Johnson implored the Bears to have better energy than they did in a 19-16 loss to the Lions on Sunday that both Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams considered disturbingly flat. The Bears didn't score until the fourth quarter.
"He’s like, 'It’s another season, so you guys better have more energy better energy than you had [in the regular] season," tight end Colston Loveland said. "After the game he said if you’re not prepared to play the next five weeks, you’re thinking about anything else, you’re thinking about booking flights for vacation, don’t come in.
"He made it very clear about what’s at stake and what this team is looking for."