Ben Johnson keeping it real as Bears prepare for playoffs

Brutal honesty isn’t a problem for Ben Johnson.

The Chicago Bears’ head coach isn’t afraid to tell harsh truths, or call it like he sees it. Sure, he’s led his team to a division title in his first season, but he’s not satisfied with just a playoff appearance.

As his team prepares to host the Green Bay Packers in the first round of the postseason this weekend, Johnson made it clear that the job’s nowhere near finished:

As the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions for three seasons, Johnson saw first-hand what it looks like to dominate in the regular season, only to come up short in the playoffs. He clearly doesn’t want to replicate that disappointment in Chicago.

The regular season was indeed impressive for Johnson and the Bears, especially in Year 1 of his tenure. But like he said himself, the playoffs are completely new season on their own. If Chicago comes up short at this point, their regular-season success won’t dull the pain of postseason defeat.

Expect Johnson and his team to be locked in this week, especially with their most heated rival coming to town.