How to watch the Lions play the Bears, Ben Johnson in Ford Field opener
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 07: Head coach Dan Campbell of the Detroit Lions looks on in the second quarter of a game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on September 07, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty
FOX 2 - The Lions host the Bears for its Ford Field season opener in Detroit, eager to get the bad taste of last week's Packers loss out of its mouth.
At 0-1, the defending NFC North Division champions don't want to slide to 0-2 - especially since out of 21 teams to start the season 0-2 over the past three years, 19 have missed the playoffs.
Standing in the way is a familiar face turned division rival - former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. His Bears squad is coming off their own Week 1 defeat - coming on Monday Night Football courtesy of ex-Wolverine JJ McCarthy and the Vikings.
Lions Coach Dan Campbell said there are no hard feelings facing Johnson.
"Listen, Ben's my friend - he's always going to be my friend, you know?" Campbell said. "Nothing about that's going to change, you know? We're going in, getting ready to play Chicago. We're gonna win this game. You know, we have to. We got to find a way to clean things up and do what we got to do.
"And they're going to try to do the same thing. It's like that every week."
How to watch the Lions
The Lions play the Bears at 1 p.m. on FOX 2 from Ford Field.
Get ready with Lions Gameday Live at 10 a.m. on FOX 2.
Sunday night at 11 p.m. is Lions Game Night with locker room interviews and analysis.
The Lions are a 5.5-point favorite on most betting sites.
The season so far
Sunday provides a chance to watch the Lions new offense against the architect who built one of the most dangerous attacks in the NFL.
It was a nondescript debut for new OC John Morton as the Lions mustered its lone touchdown in the waning moments, trailing 27-6 at the time.
The Lions totaled just 246 total yards and went 5-for-15 on third downs. The offensive line allowed four sacks and the running game struggled mightily with 46 yards total led by David Montgomery's 25.
On the bright side rookie Issac TeSlaa was only in for three plays - one of them a highlight-reel 13-yard touchdown catch.
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 7: Isaac TeSlaa #18 of the Detroit Lions catches a touchdown during an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on September 7, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Imag
Campbell said he'll have a larger role in the offense going forward but added he was sick last week and missed a lot of practice.
"We didn't feel comfortable trying to load him up with stuff," he said. "And so it was gonna be very limited, but certainly we'd like to use him more. I mean, there's something there. So looks like he's back and feels pretty good. And I was good to see him make a play."
For the Bears a 17-6 lead evaporated on Monday night helped in part by 12 penalties for 127 yards.
Chicago also went 3-for-12 on third downs as second year quarterback Caleb Williams was up and down (21-for-35 210 yards and two combined touchdowns) and ex-Lion D'Andre Swift was limited to 53 yards on 17 carries.
Campbell's message
Campbell said Monday that getting the Lions back on track has to start with the fundamentals.
One of his biggest gripes was that the team averaged just 2.1 yards a carry. He said everything they do is predicated on a physical ground game that moves the ball.
He insisted that despite the blowout loss to the Packers, there is no panic.
"I know I've said this before, is you really don't know what you are until Week Five, Week Four, maybe Week Six, somewhere in there, as to what you really can hang your hat on," he said. "Now, as far as our core principles and what I believe in, we'll continue to drive that home and get better in that area.
"I know it's frustrating and. Look, nobody likes to lose. Nobody hates it worse than our players and the coaches. So, but it's all about getting better - and we will."