'Been A Lot of S--t Talking,' Packers Star Hyped for HC LaFleur's Win vs. Bears' Ben Johnson

Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney took some added satisfaction from Sunday's 31-7 victory over the rival Chicago Bears.

McKinney told The Athletic's Michael Silver that he and his teammates wanted to deliver an emphatic performance for coach Matt LaFleur.

"There's been a lot of s--t talking, and we know how he feels about it," the veteran defensive back said.

This long-running rivalry is tilted firmly in Green Bay's favor for the last decade and change. Some wondered whether the dynamic was shifting after the Bears beat the Packers twice last year, including in the NFC Wild Card Round.

Chicago coach Ben Johnson clearly wants to lead by example, too, and display a defiance toward the Packers his players will embody.

Sunday was instead more of the same old story.

The Bears clearly missed starting quarterback Caleb Williams as Case Keenum and Tyson Bagent combined to throw for 165 yards and three interceptions. Jordan Love also did his best impression of Packers legends Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers as he went 25-of-31 for 367 yards and two scores through the air.

▶️ Full Bears-Packers Recap

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The teams don't play again until Christmas Day in Week 16. That's a long time for Chicago to stew on its poor performance.

Johnson would probably be wise to dial back a little of the swagger before then as well.