How to watch Lions play Bears in Week 18 - with major 2026 implications
Campbell: Lions are locked in, playing to win Bears finale
Lions Coach Dan Campbell did not commit to playing backups and younger players, saying they are playing to win despite being eliminated from playoff contention.
FOX 2 - After a season that started with sights on a Super Bowl, the Lions have been reduced to trying to stay out of the NFC North cellar in the regular season finale.
This Sunday the Lions play the Bears for the Week 18 finale with no hope for a playoff berth, after being eliminated by the Vikings in an embarrassing Christmas day loss.
The Bears in the meantime, are heading to the playoffs and would like to avenge a blowout loss in Detroit from Week 2.
The game time was left open intentionally as a flex game in case the stakes were high - but we now know the time.
How to Watch the Lions
The Lions play the Bears in Chicago at 4:25 p.m. on FOX 2.
FOX 2 will have you covered 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.
What is on the line …
Don't tell coach Dan Campbell that the game is meaningless.
"I owe it to these guys to be locked in for another game here," he said. "It's not fair to say we're going to go out there and prepare to win, but we're not really doing that. Then we shouldn't even go out there."
While the playoffs are impossible, by winning, Detroit could get a third place schedule for 2026 and a worse draft pick dropping from around the 15th slot to as low as 18.
There are strategic benefits to losing, which would boost the pick from 15 to as high as 12 - but the real bonus would come with the schedule.
By finishing with a fourth place schedule for 2026 NFL season, it would match them with other teams that finished last in the NFC East (the Giants), NFC West (the Cardinals), and AFC South (the Titans).
The Bears have much more to play for, like a win would clinch the NFC's No. 2 seed giving Chicago a home game in the Wild Card Round and second home game in the Division Round should it win.
Campbell was asked if changes to the team were being sorted through for the big picture.
"I'm not there yet," he said. "There are things that have crossed my mind, but I am so far from all that - gotta get ready for this one."
The Last Time the Lions Played the Bears ...
In Week 2, the Lions blasted Chicago 52-21 in a rude homecoming for former OC Ben Johnson.
Little did anyone know, it would be the only NFC North Divisional win for the Lions all season - until Week 18, possibly.
In that game quarterback Jared Goff passed for 334 yards and five touchdowns with three of those going to Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Will Youth Win the Day?
Campbell was asked on Monday if there will be a greater focus on the younger players in the finale.
He refused to say hedging toward no, adding that the players who can go, will go, regardless of youth or experience.
One question was about the numerous injuries and if those playing banged up will be held out to protect them from themselves.
At the top of that list? St. Brown who has been battling injuries the past few weeks.
"If guys can't go due to injury, the next man up will go," Campbell said. "(St. Brown) is day to day, he wants to go. He's improved."