Matt LaFleur would never admit it at the podium, but everyone inside Lambeau Field knows what is at stake this week, on the scoreboard and in the budding petty war between head coaches.

When Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson was introduced in January, he praised Dan Campbell and Kevin O’Connell before slipping in a line clearly aimed at Green Bay’s sideline . With a smirk, Johnson told Bears fans he “kind of enjoyed beating Matt LaFleur twice a year,” a not-so-subtle shot from a coach who went 5-1 against the Packers as Detroit’s offensive coordinator .

Publicly, LaFleur brushed it off as pandering to a new fan base. Privately, Packers insiders expect that if Green Bay wins Sunday, their coach might finally fire back. One joked LaFleur’s first words at the postgame podium could be

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