‘Doesn’t mean anything’: Bears not focused on current playoff picture

The Bears put up a dominant performance to earn Friday’s win over Philadelphia.

Running backs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai each rushed for over 100 yards behind a physical offensive line. Meanwhile, Chicago’s defense forced two turnovers and limited the Eagles’ talented offense.

Now the Bears will try to prove they are real contenders as they prepare for Sunday’s test at Lambeau Field to play the Green Bay Packers. Here are three of the most interesting things the Bears said Monday.

On the playoff picture

The Bears enter Week 14 in unfamiliar territory: the NFC’s top seed.

Chicago earned the conference’s No. 1 spot after their win and the Los Angeles Rams’ loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. According to ESPN research, it is the latest the Bears have held at least a share of the best record in the NFC since 2006.

Despite the benchmark, head coach Ben Johnson didn’t want his players to get too ahead of themselves.

“Doesn’t mean anything,” Johnson said. “There are five games left. We’ve got a long way to go. We have not been guaranteed a spot in the tournament yet. We have to earn that right. And the only way you can earn that right is by finding a way to win the next game. That’s where our sole focus is.”

It’s been quite a turnaround for the Bears under Johnson. Chicago went from firing former head coach Matt Eberflus on last year’s Black Friday to winning their ninth game on the same day this season.

But veterans like tight end Cole Kmet agreed with Johnson. Things seemed tough when the Bears started the season 0-2 and lost to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 8. The Bears are focusing on Sunday’s game against the Packers.

“The significance of it at the moment isn’t much,” Kmet said. “Look, I know how this all is. We’re on the so-called mountain top right now, but those things change quickly week to week. We felt that after the Baltimore week and you could feel that after the first two weeks of the season. Things change really quickly. It’s on us to stick to our process on stuff.”

On passing game’s development

Friday was a historic performance for the Bears’ running attack. But it was also another inconsistent showing for quarterback Caleb Williams and the passing game.

Williams completed 47.2% of his passes for 154 yards, a touchdown and an interception as his inaccuracy issues continued to hurt him. They popped up when Williams missed receivers Olamide Zaccheaus and Rome Odunze on wide-open looks in the end zone. Friday’s showing lowered Williams’ season completion rate to 58.1%.

Johnson said strong winds played a role in the inaccuracy. But it’s been a season-long trend.

“The primary receiver when he’s open, we’ve got to make sure we hit him,” Johnson said. “And then all of our pass catchers, we just harped on it (Monday), we need to be more disciplined in our route detail. It’s not where it needs to be. Our depth’s not proper all the time. Our steps aren’t. Everybody’s got a role to play to get this pass game cleaned up. We’re winning in spite of our passing game, not because of it, and none of us are pleased with that right now.”

Kmet said Johnson started Monday’s meeting by showing a few plays over the past few weeks where Johnson felt he made a bad play call. That continued with everyone else in the passing game, whether it was an imprecise route by a receiver or an inaccurate throw from Williams.

“It’s definitely a collective effort and we keep addressing issues,” Kmet said.

On Johnson taking his shirt off

The moment went viral quickly after Friday’s win. After the Bears released their postgame celebration video on social media, screenshots started to pop up everywhere. Johnson had taken his shirt off.

The move fulfilled a promise made by The Wieners Circle, a popular hot dog stand on the north side of the city, earlier in the season. Everyone would receive free hot dogs if Johnson took off his shirt during or after a Bears win this season.

“That was a spur of the moment deal, I guess,” Johnson said. “But I figured the sooner the better because I’m not in the weight room very much anymore so this thing keeps getting a little bit worse as we go along in the season. It was good.”

The Wieners Circle announced it would fulfill its end of the bargain Tuesday.

Johnson admitted he felt the move took away from what his players accomplished but he wanted to help give people free hot dogs. He hasn’t heard much about the reaction outside of Halas Hall other than when his 2-year-old daughter pointed at the TV screen at their home and said “no shirt, no shirt.”

Kmet couldn’t help but laugh when thinking about the moment.

“It was bizarre,” Kmet said. “But it was cool. He was pumped up and jacked about it.”