The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers played their second classic game in three weeks on Saturday night. It played out much in the same way. Green Bay built a big lead early, controlled the football well, and seemed to have the Bears befuddled. Then Ben Johnson figured out some of the issues and launched a spirited comeback in the second half. Or more accurately, it was the 4th quarter this time. Green Bay led 13-3 and 16-6 at one point. Everything pointed to the Packers cruising to another victory. Matt LaFleur had orchestrated another masterclass.
Things then got crazy. Cairo Santos hit a 51-yard field goal in swirling winds. Josh Blackwell recovered an onside kick. Caleb Williams hit undrafted rookie Jahdae Walker for the game-tying touchdown to force overtime. Green Bay fumbled the snap on 4th and 1 in their first OT possession. Finally, Williams hit D.J. Moore with a 46-yard bomb to steal the game and possibly the division. Yet none of that mattered to the hosts of Stadium Live. They were focused on one thing.
How long would the postgame handshake between Johnson and LaFleur be? After all, they bet actual money that it would end in less than 1.5 seconds.
Ben Johnson would have little respect for those men.
People will bet on anything these days. This entire situation originated two weeks ago. Green Bay had just picked off Williams to seal their 28-21 victory at Lambeau Field. Johnson and LaFleur met at midfield, shared a brief handshake, and went their separate ways. Few words were shared. Most believed this stemmed from the icy relationship they had, as Johnson had said he enjoyed beating LaFleur twice a year as offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions. The Packers coach took that personally, and it carried over into the handshake.
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Ben Johnson thought nothing of it. He’s had handshakes go that exact way several times. LaFleur didn’t think it meant much either. That didn’t stop these guys from placing bets for actual money on it happening again. The gambling scene is truly wild. This isn’t the first time this has happened, too. A few months ago, they bet that Williams’ first pass in a preseason game would fall incomplete. It didn’t.
