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Who would’ve thought that the Chicago Bears would be playing this late into the season? Coming into the year, fans didn’t have any expectations for the team. After a five-win season in 2024, many just wanted to see some semblance of improvement from the squad under new coach Ben Johnson.
Well, Bears fans saw their team improve… and improve… and improve even more as the season went on. The Bears rallied from a 0-2 start to the season to clinch the NFC North with an 11-6 record this season. They added to their legend this season by beating the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card round in a thrilling comeback victory.
Now, the Bears are preparing for their Divisional Round game against the Los Angeles Rams with an NFC Championship Game spot on the line. Mike Martz, the architect behind the iconic Greatest Show on Turf Rams teams of the 2000s, noted the drastic change in philosophy from the Bears, saying that with this group, nothing is impossible.
“They wanted to grow the grass in the stadium really long, run the ball and play great defense,” said Martz, per Courtney Cronin of ESPN. “That was their mantra since they started playing. That’s how it was when I was there. But they lifted that when they hired Ben (Johnson). Now it’s wide open. Anything is possible.”
Under Johnson, the Bears have redefined themselves as one of the most explosive teams on offense. Caleb Williams broke out this season, nearly becoming the first Chicago quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards. The Bears’ running backs, Kyle Monongai and D’Andre Swift, have delivered in clutch moments. And at the helm of it all is Johnson, who, like Martz, built an explosive offense when he was in Detroit and brought it to Chicago.
Should the Bears win against the Rams, it will be their first appearance in the NFCCG since 2010. There will be questions about Johnson and Williams’ place in the franchise leaderboards. If you ask Martz, though, the answer to that question is clear.
“They got it right,” Martz said. “It’s the best head coach they’ve ever had and the best quarterback they’ve ever had, clearly.”
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