The Packers wanted the Bears… and then what happened?

The Green Bay Packers sure were mad after the Chicago Bears walked them off a few weeks ago.

They talked and talked, hoping they’d get an opportunity for revenge on the Bears in the playoffs.

Welp, they got their wish; it just didn’t work out the way they wanted.

“There was probably a little bit more noise coming out of their building up north to start of the week,” Chicago head coach Ben Johnson said in his postgame press conference. “Which we heard loud and clear, players and coaches alike, so this one meant something to us.”

Johnson has leaned into the rivalry since his introductory press conference, and whether that was more theatrical for the moment, or if Ben really grew to dislike Green Bay during his previous years coaching in the NFC North, it’s real now.

“F*** the Packers,” Johnson said in his postgame locker room speech. “F*** them.”

That statement has sparked a lot of hurt feelings, but earlier today, Johnson said, “This is a rivalry. The city of Chicago, Green Bay. This needs to be a rivalry.”

Yes.

“I don’t like that team,” Johnson said when asked if Chairman George McCaskey gave him feedback on the now viral F-bomb. “George and I have talked, and we’re on the same page.”

A thousand percent yes.

Quarterback Caleb Williams has also leaned into the rivalry since he was drafted, and he takes great pleasure in beating the Packers.

“They wanted us,” Williams said postgame. “That’s what I heard. They wanted it, and they got it.”

The Bears are now (3-2) in the five games Williams has started against the Packers. In Chicago’s last four games vs Green Bay, they are (3-1), but in their previous 29 games, they were (3-26).

Saturday night’s game felt like a turning point in the rivalry, and when Williams asked what message he thinks their play has sent to the Packers, he said, “We’re here, and we’re going to be here for a while is my plan. Be here with coach (Johnson), win a bunch of games, be in these moments, and come out victorious.”

Join JB and me live for our latest Bear & Balanced at 6:00 p.m. CT in the embed right here, or head over to our YouTube channel to join in on the show.

Podcast version right here:

Here’s our usual bullet point outline of Bear & Balanced.

• Intro: We’ll both share some general thoughts about the game.
• Trench Tribute: This is our weekly pick for the best Bears lineman.
• Caught up in a numbers game: This segment features one number or statistic from the game that we found interesting.
• Sweet Tweets: We’re both active on social media — so be sure you’re all following us at @gridironborn & @wiltfongjr — and we highlight one Twitter interaction/Tweet each week. We’re both on Bluesky here and here as well.
• The Caleb Corner: We talk about quarterback Caleb Williams before we take our commercial...