Johnson reacts to overtime win over Packers: “This is a special group”

Ariana Pensy · Correspondent · 2 hours ago

CHICAGO - Just when you thought the Chicago Bears had found every way possible to win, they find a different way with a successful onside kick, a fourth-down touchdown to send the game to overtime, and a walkoff 44-yard touchdown in overtime to defeat the Green Bay Packers 22-16.

“This is a special group. I felt that early in the season. You get some of those wins, the Raiders game and the Washington game and you start feeling it, the belief coming and this group, I’m talking about coaches and players combined, it’s rare. It really is and I can’t say enough good things about the people in this building,” head coach Ben Johnson said. “(General manager) Ryan (Poles has) done a good job bringing this collection of people together and they’re mentally tough. They’re physically tough. I know we’re going to fight for 60 minutes and in a game like that, even though the odds are against us there that late, we’re going to keep on swinging and make some plays when we needed to. So, I couldn’t be more proud of the group. I’m very fortunate to be in the position I’m in coaching these guys and not something I take for granted.”

Chicago entered the game down two of their top receivers - Rome Odunze and rookie Luther Burden III. This gave fellow rookie Jahdae Walker the opportunity to step up and show what he can do.

Despite not having any catches in a regular-season NFL game before this matchup, Walker stepped up in a huge way as he caught the fourth-down touchdown right before the end of regulation to send the game to overtime.

“That’s why we do what we do over the course of the season and I know to the people that haven’t been in the building, it’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, you’re going to the undrafted rookie on fourth down.’ Well, we see what he does every single week. We see how he goes about his business. There’s a reason why we didn’t want to expose him to the waiver wire and someone poach him after the preseason,” Johnson said. “We see a bright future for this guy and he’s done nothing but steadily improve over the course of the season. The coaches trust him. (Quarterback) Caleb (Williams) trusts him and so, when it’s a big moment like that and you’re not sure exactly what coverage they’re going to be in, (anybody) could get that ball depending on what they call. I had a lot of confidence that he was going to come down and get it and so does Caleb. So, that’s where we’re at as a team right now. I feel like everyone trusts that whoever’s out there on gameday, they’re going to come through for us. It doesn’t matter who it is at this point.”

Kicker Cairo Santos also played a crucial role in this victory. Santos made all three of his field goal attempts, each of which was over 40 yards, in the swirling winds. Without those kicks, the Bears never would have had the chance to send the game into overtime.

Furthermore, he is responsible for the successful onside kick. In fact, each of Santos’ last two onside kick attempts, going back to last season, have been successful.

“He did a phenomenal job and I think that’s a big asset for us. He’s been here. He understands that wind. He does a great job in practice. He gets a lot of time on task with it,” Johnson said. “I thought he handled it really, really well and (it was a) huge reason why he got a game ball.”

After Chicago’s win and the Detroit Lions’ loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Bears have officially clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2020. If they win one of their next two games - either against the San Francisco 49ers on Sun. Dec. 28 (7:20 p.m. / NBC) or against the Lions on Sun. Jan. 4, the Bears will be NFC North champions for the first time since 2018.