Chicago Bears former running back Matt Forte is far removed from the politics and the weekly grind of an NFL locker room, which is precisely why his words still carry weight. When Forte speaks on the Bears-Packers rivalry, it is not an attempt to chase relevance, but rather from someone who used to live inside that emotional and physical bubble.
When asked what Green Bay is not equipped to handle from Chicago ahead of the Wild Card game, Forte did not reach for recycled talking points or fighting words. Instead, he delivered a measured observation that cuts deeper than trash talk. He delivered a belief that the Packers are leaning too heavily on who they have been, rather than fully preparing for who they are about to face.
""I think the Packers are lackluster in their preparation for the Bears coming up. I think they’re a little overconfident in who they are.""Matt Forte
Forte sends a warning shot to Packers fans
Forte's words aren't a challenge to their talent or skill, but rather a commentary on their preparation process and confidence. Preparation in the NFL is a weekly thing, and no two weeks are the same. This is not only a divisional game between the NFL's oldest rivalry, but it's the culmination of a season tie against one another. Forte spent eight years living in this rivalry; he knows what he's talking about when it comes to preparing for it.
""I think they’re a little overconfident in the fact that they’re relying on the past to be predictors of the future. And so every game is a new game. Every opportunity is new.""Matt Forte
Overconfidence is a silent killer that can cause even the most fearsome of teams to fall hard. The first round of the playoffs is the last time a team wishes for something like that to happen. It's true that the Bears swiped their last win against Green Bay from the clutches of loss, but both games between these two teams came down to the very last play of the game, even in overtime.
To Forte's point, the Wild Card game strips away everything that came before it. Reputation does not block, history does not tackle, and past results don't prepare a team for four quarters against a division opponent that knows you as well as anyone.
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If Green Bay is leaning on what it used to be, this matchup becomes less about talent and more about who treated the week with the urgency it demanded.