“Let Me Be Clear — I’ve Been Around This Game a Long Time.”
Ben Johnson After the Chicago Bears’ 31–27 Playoff Win Over the Packers

A Rivalry Reignited on the Biggest Stage

No one expected this playoff victory to feel like a fight on so many levels.

When the clock finally hit zero and the scoreboard locked at Bears 31, Packers 27, the eruption inside Soldier Field was more than celebration — it was release. Relief mixed with validation. Chicago hadn’t simply beaten Green Bay. They had survived a night that tested their poise, toughness, and belief in real time.

This was playoff football stripped to its core: emotional, physical, and unforgiving. From the opening drive, it was clear the Bears would have to earn everything the hard way.

Early Pressure and a Game That Refused to Settle

Green Bay came out aggressive, dictating tempo and forcing Chicago onto its heels. The Packers found early rhythm, exploited small gaps, and built momentum while the Bears searched for balance.

Nothing came easily. Every drive felt contested. Every yard came with contact.

And the tension wasn’t limited to execution. Questionable no-calls, extended reviews, and heavy hits without flags disrupted the flow and threatened to tilt emotions. For a young playoff team, it was the kind of environment where frustration could take over.

It didn’t.

Chicago absorbed the chaos, reset after every whistle, and refused to let outside noise define their response.

Discipline Under Fire

At the center of the storm stood head coach Ben Johnson, composed on the sideline while pressure mounted around him.

“Let me be clear — I’ve been around this game a long time,” Johnson said afterward. “I’ve coached it, studied it, lived it. I thought I’d seen everything. But what happened out there tonight? That wasn’t just a win. That was a team finding itself in the middle of chaos.”

Time and again, Bears players took shots and played on. Momentum swung, stalled, and swung again. Each moment tested restraint.

Chicago chose discipline.

“This was playoff football,” Johnson said. “Physical. Fast. Emotional. But discipline under pressure? That’s a choice.”

The Bears made it — snap after snap.

The Fourth Quarter: Where Identity Is Forged

Late in the game, facing elimination, Chicago reached the moment where seasons are defined.

This wasn’t about play design anymore. It was about trust.

The offense slowed the game down and found rhythm when it mattered most. Drives became methodical. Execution sharpened. Every block, route, and throw carried consequence.

The defense answered with urgency, tightening coverage and refusing to let Green Bay run out the clock. With each stop, belief grew.

Chicago didn’t rush.
They didn’t panic.
They didn’t flinch.

They took control.

One Final Test of Composure

Even as victory neared, the night refused to end quietly.

With the Bears poised to celebrate, a late review halted play once more — a final pause in a game already stretched thin by uncertainty. Players stood frozen. Helmets stayed on. Emotions stayed locked in.

“No panic. No loss of composure,” Johnson said. “That tells you exactly who this team is.”

When the game finally ended for good, there was no doubt left. Chicago had finished what it started.

Respect for the Rival, Pride in the Moment

Green Bay pushed Chicago to the edge. They played with pride and forced the Bears to earn every inch, reminding everyone why this rivalry remains the NFL’s most enduring.

But Chicago stayed true to itself.

“Yes, we won — 31 to 27,” Johnson said. “But more importantly, we didn’t lose our identity. We didn’t lose our discipline. We didn’t lose each other.”

That may matter more than the score.

More Than a Playoff Win

This wasn’t just a victory.

It was a statement of growth.

A declaration that the Chicago Bears belong on the playoff stage not because conditions are perfect — but because they can withstand chaos when they are not.

On a night filled with pressure, controversy, and emotion, the Bears controlled what they could control. They trusted each other. And when the moment demanded it, they closed the door.

The Chicago Bears didn’t just win a playoff game.

They proved who they are — and why they’re built for what comes next.