Bears WR Luther Burden III on Packers Rivalry: 'Want to Beat Them Real Bad'

During his rookie season, Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III helped create a viral moment at Lambeau Field. 

With the Bears down 7-3 to the Packers towards the end of the second quarter, running back Kyle Monangai gained 1 yard on a run. Burden lined up to the left side of the formation and blocked cornerback Carrington Valentine. The two didn't stop after the whistle and fellow Packers defensive back Keisean Nixon came over to assist his teammate. Burden reacted by grabbing Nixon's neck. The officials called an unnecessary roughness on Nixon. 

"I mean, it's a rivalry game, so, something got out of hand or whatever the case may be," Burden said on Monday. "I'm with it all."

Sunday's Week 5 game will be the first time these two teams have seen each other since Jan. 10's wild-card matchup at Soldier Field. The Packers jumped out to a 21-3 lead at halftime, but the Bears erased the deficit, outscoring Green Bay 28-6, including 25 points in the fourth quarter to advance in the playoffs. 

After the Bears' 31-27 win, Bears head coach Ben Johnson gave Packers head coach a drive-by handshake. In the postgame locker room, Johnson yelled three separate sentences and starting with the same word. 

"F--- the Packers," Johnson said. "F--- them. F---ing hate those guys."

Two days after defeating Green Bay, Johnson didn't apologize for his words.

"I mean, like I said before, there's a rivalry that exists between these two teams, something that I fully recognize and I'm a part of," Johnson said. "And, yeah, I just, I don't like that team."

That mindset also resonates with Johnson's players. There is a hatred for the Packers and the Bears aren't shying away from that. 

"I feel like he [Johnson] wants to beat them really bad, like everybody else in the room, every Chicago fan," Burden said. "We just want to beat them real bad and make them quit."

Sunday gives Johnson and his team another chance to back up their talk in what promises to be a physical game. For the first time since Week 1 of 2006, the Bears (-2.5) are a road favorite at Lambeau Field. With both teams seeking their first division win, there's plenty at stake in this Week 5 matchup. 

Tyson Bagent is scheduled to start against the Packers with Caleb Williams still recovering from a Grade 2 hamstring injury. 

"This is a big week for us," Johnson said. "It’s important to our organization, it’s important to theirs as well. It’ll be really good competition here on Sunday."