Ben Johnson had refreshing take on Bears-Packers rivalry week

The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers rivalry is one of the NFL's oldest and most historic, and now that the Bears appear to have finally closed the gap, it's shaping up to be quite the thriller heading into the final stretch of the season.

The Bears and Packers will play twice in the next three weeks, both respective spotlight games, which will have massive implications in the battle for the NFC North and NFC's No. 1 seed. While previous Bears head coaches have tried to downplay the rivalry -- saying it's just another game -- head coach Ben Johnson had a refreshing take and understands the importance of this rivalry.

“It's a big week," Johnson said. "We know how important this rivalry is, so I just wanted to address that.”

Johnson's experience in the NFC North certainly lends some credence to his understanding of the Bears-Packers rivalry. During his time as Detroit Lions offensive coordinator, Johnson is 5-1 against Green Bay, including 3-0 at Lambeau Field.

Back when he was hired as Bears head coach, Johnson made it clear that he had fun beating Matt LaFleur and the Packers, and the hope is that translates to Chicago. It's another wrinkle to a rivalry that's been one-sided for a decade plus. But that's about to change if Johnson has anything to say about it.

“It's one of those that I think lives in NFL history," Johnson said of the rivalry. "It goes back for a long time. Two of the most winning franchises in the NFL, and I think that continues to be the case. So, it's a big one.”

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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Ben Johnson had refreshing take on Bears-Packers rivalry week