Ben Johnson-Sean McVay Divisional Round Clash Will Be WWE-Esque Drama, Says Peter Schrager

Ben Johnson and Sean McVay will be battling to get a one over each other as a coaching rivalry brews ahead of Divisional round.

Ben Johnson-Sean McVay Divisional Round Clash Will Be WWE-Esque Drama, Says Peter Schrager

Ben Johnson and Sean McVay (Image via ESPN Chicago/X/Imago)

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One of the most anticipated games of the Divisional round will be the clash between two head coaches. Ben Johnson and his upstart Chicago Bears are seen as a threat to Sean McVay and his Super Bowl favorite Los Angeles Rams.

The clash between the two bright offensive minds is being billed as an upcoming classic, and fans are eagerly waiting to see whose wizardry comes out on top.

Johnson’s ability to bring the best out of Caleb Williams and the offense has been highly appreciated. At the same time, McVay’s help in Matthew Stafford becoming an MVP favorite has also surprised many. However, there is more to this clash.

That handshake and all that mother-f stuff from Ben Johnson did not go over well with the McVay tree, if you will, and around the league… This is the WWE part of this, where there is actual personalities involved.

Peter Schrager said on The Ringer

The ESPN analyst mentioned that Johnson’s expletive-laden attack on Matt LaFleur and the Packers has added to this feud. That is because the Packers’ head coach is McVay’s close friend, and the former’s brother is the Rams’ offensive coordinator.

Then, for the Bears’ head coach to double down on this rhetoric, albeit with the backing of his franchise owner, the situation has evolved into a WWE-esque rivalry, where both sides want to beat each other badly.

Sean McVay has interesting response to seeking advice from Matt LaFleur on beating Ben Johnson

This is the first time Sean McVay will battle Ben Johnson since he became the head coach of the Chicago Bears. But that does not mean he does not have friends with experience coaching against the latter.

You know what — we watch the tape, we do our work, and Matt is a very close friend of mine.

Sean McVay replied

This was the Rams head coach’s reply when ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry asked him if he was going to ask Matt LaFleur for any tips on how to coach against Johnson.

The video also shows how McVay’s facial expressions change when the reporter mentions Johnson’s name. Before she reached the point of talking about the Bears’ head coach, Sean McVay had a smile on his face when she talked about his friendship with Matt LaFleur.

On top of that, his response is as diplomatic as it can get, as he does not talk about Johnson at any moment, and stresses that LaFleur is a good friend.

It seems Lindsey Thiry’s question revealed how deep the rivalry Peter Schrager was talking about on The Ringer has developed. Both the 39-year-old head coaches are primed to deliver the NFL’s best coaching standoff.

Ben Johnson had the edge over Sean McVay’s Rams

The reason Lindsey Thiry asked that question to Sean McVay is that the Los Angeles Rams lost both their games against the Detroit Lions when Ben Johnson was their offensive coordinator.

Ben Johnson will have Bears fans behind him
Johnson will have Bears fans behind him (Image via Ashlee Rezin/X)

In both instances, the latter won the close battle between the two offensive wizards. Even though the situation is different now, with the Bears not being as good a defense as the Lions had, some believe Johnson still holds the edge.

His expletive-laden motivational methods have fueled the Bears to some surprising wins this season. With two late-game comeback wins against Matt LaFleur and the Green Bay Packers, it seems Johnson is about continue the rivalry with the Rams.

The latter will also have the upper hand if Bears fans continue to bring the electric atmosphere they created in the Wild Card round. It seems the odds are stacked against McVay.

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