For the first time since the 2022 season, the Detroit Lions aren't in the playoffs. That is a tough enough pill for this fan base to swallow but to make matters worse, the Chicago Bears (led by former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson) aren't just in the playoffs, they won a playoff game.
The Bears were up to their old tricks once again, winning a game in the final minutes after they had trailed by double-digits not long before that. It'd be more fun to watch unfold if it wasn't a hated Lions rival led by a former coordinator and, unfortunately, the signs are there that this version of the Bears might be here to stay.
Lions star pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson made the media rounds on Tuesday and touched on how much Caleb Williams has elevated his game in just his second year in the league.
"I probably missed two or three sacks on him this year, which hurts so bad. If you are the first one running in, that's where it's the hardest because he's got the spin out, he's very quick. He's so tough to defend, but I really think [Williams has] grown in Ben [Johnson]'s system too, especially as the year gone on. Ben is a very progression system. It's evolved. It's very high-level offense, and I think as the year has progressed, he's really gotten a grasp of the offense in a great way."
Aidan Hutchinson admits Caleb Williams has become a real problem
If anyone would pick up on how much Williams has improved, Hutchinson would be a good person to ask considering his job is to sack him or at least make him uncomfortable. From what he described here, Williams has figured out how to make things more difficult for Hutchinson and that's not what Lions fans want to hear.
The Lions won the NFC North in 2023 and 2024 and it felt as though they were going to be the favorites to keep running the division but 2025 hit them hard. The Bears were far better than anyone gave them credit for and, unfortunately, this could be the new norm now for Lions fans.
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It's far more fun when the Bears don't have a good quarterback and aren't competitive but hey, even with how good the Bears were in 2025, the Lions still swept them. Sure, Chicago is the team in the playoffs right now but there's the silver lining.
Hopefully, the Lions look more like the Lions in 2026 and the Bears look more like the Bears because this current timeline we're living in isn't enjoyable.