Ben Johnson is going to have to do just one more favor for the Detroit Lions to improve their postseason odds - one that he will not be trying to fulfill.
After the Detroit Lions' loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 15, they find themselves absolutely needing to win out for the rest of their season in order to remain in the running for a final Wild Card spot. While their schedule from here on out is much easier than what they faced in Week 15, nothing's a guarantee.
That's where the Chicago Bears come in. The Lions will absolutely need the Bears to lose one of their upcoming games to the Green Bay Packers or San Francisco 49ers, in addition to winning out, to snag a postseason spot. Without following this exact formula, the Lions will find themselves out of the postseason for the first time since 2022.
Lions need huge help from Ben Johnson that he will avoid giving
The Bears' schedule feels a whole lot tougher than the Lions' remaining schedule for 2025, but bear in mind that the Packers might have lost Micah Parsons in Week 15 with a potentially torn ACL. This makes their defense far less formidable, which helps Caleb Williams out in a huge way.
He's a mobile passer who could've been contained with Parsons in tow. Without him, it feels like he can go off a lot more easily.
Again, stranger things have happened this season. The Lions lost to J.J. McCarthy and the Minnesota Vikings earlier this year, making him look like the next coming of prime Kirk Cousins to their NFC North opponent. Instead, McCarthy has since faded and become a bit of a laughinstock this season, making the Lions' loss to him even more embarassing.
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Chicago was beaten badly by Detroit earlier this season, but they looked like a completely different squad then. Lately, Chicago has been lights-out on defense, and their offense is coming along as Caleb Williams establishes more chemistry with D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze. Their run game is also scary, with D'Andre Swift threatning to further expose Detroit's run defense in Week 18.
That game can still make or break their postseason odds. It's coming down to the wire in what is becoming a shockingly competitive NFC North title run, and Johnson has to feel good about leading the current top seed in the division in his first year as head coach. With each passing week, it feels less and less likely that Johnson and the Bears will fold. That's bad news for the Lions.