The Detroit Lions will face the Week 18 regular season finale on Sunday, January 4 at 4:25 pm at Soldier Field. For the first time since 2022, the Lions will be eliminated from the playoffs after a 23-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Christmas Day. The Bears have clinched the NFC North title in their first season under former Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and will look to become the division’s No. 2 seed with a win on Sunday. Chicago has come a long way since their 52-21 loss to the Lions in Week 2. Oddsmakers now favor the Bears to win Sunday’s Game 2. But if the Lions tie, they will win for the fourth consecutive season, which would tie their longest winning streak in the Super Bowl era (1969-72).
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) talks to teammates before the first half against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Chicago, Illinois.
Are the Lions resting starters vs. Bears?
Although Detroit’s playoff hopes have been dashed, Lions head coach Dan Campbell said he doesn’t plan to rest his top players on Sunday unless they are too injured to play, which would put their long-term health at risk.
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“We’re not playing for the playoffs, but we can still find something,” Campbell said. “I expect our guys here to give it everything they have again. That’s the expectation.”
So don’t be surprised to see Jared Goff behind center. Goff played 98.3 percent of the Lions’ quarterback snaps in 2025 and hasn’t missed a start since the penultimate game of the 2021 season. Campbell said Friday that star receiver Ammon-La St. Brown, who is dealing with knee and ankle injuries, is also trending toward playing. Meanwhile, left tackle Taylor Decker, who missed the loss to the Vikings with the flu, is expected to return to the lineup.
“It doesn’t matter what our record is, what our circumstances are,” Gove said. “We want to go out there and put some good stuff on tape and gain a little respect from some of the respect we’ve lost this year.”
If they’re going to pull that off, they’re going to have to beat the Bears, who are expected to play all of their regulars. Johnson said the same thing earlier this week, telling reporters their goal is to win. After all, there’s a bet on Chicago’s side that they can clinch the No. 2 seed with a win on Sunday.
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Lions and bears are inactive
Who is a good fit for Lions?
RT Penei Sewell (ankle)
LB Alex Anzalone (concussion/personal)
DT Aleem McNeil (abdominal)
S Thomas Harper (concussion)
OL Trystan colon (wrist)
OL Gio Manu (knee)
Who is suitable for Bear
DL Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (concussion)
Lions vs. Bears odds
Wire: Bear 3.
NFL playoff pictures
The Carolina Panthers missed a chance to lock down the NFC South against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, heading into the final day of NFC Park. Both teams are 8-9, half a game ahead of the 7-9 Atlanta Falcons, who were eliminated before their 1 p.m. game against the New Orleans Saints. A Falcons win would set up a three-team tie in the division, with the Panthers winning the three-team tiebreaker to become the fourth seed and play at home against the fifth seed, the San Francisco 49ers or Los Angeles Rams. A win for the Saints would give the Buccaneers a fourth seed and a home playoff berth thanks to their head-to-head matchup with the Panthers
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The top-ranked Seattle Seahawks defeated the 49ers 3-3 on Saturday night to capture the NFC West title and the division’s top seed. The Niners dropped to the fifth seed but could drop to sixth if the Rams beat the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday afternoon.
The Bears can lock up the No. 2 seed with a win over the Lions or a Philadelphia Eagles loss to the Washington Commanders (4:25, CBS).
The top seed in the National League will bid farewell to the divisional round, and the remaining three division champions will compete with three wildcard players (2/7, 3/6, 4/5) in the wildcard game. Here are the standings heading into Sunday:
*Seed is locked
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1. Seattle Seahawks*, 14-3.
2. Chicago Bears, 11-5.
3. Philadelphia Eagles, 11-5.
4. NFC South winner (Buccaneers or Panthers)*, 8-9.
5. 49ers, 12-5.
6. Rams, 11-5.
7. Green Bay Packers*, 9-6-1.
In the AFC, six of the seven teams have been determined, and although there will likely be significant turnover in seeding, the top three division champions are still fighting for the No. 1 spot; the fourth seed will go to the AFC North champion, determined by Sunday’s final game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. Seeds entering Sunday:
1. Denver Broncos, 13-3.
2. New England Patriots, 12-4.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars, 12-4.
4. AFC South* (Ravens, 8-8; Steelers, 9-7).
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5. Houston Texans, 11-5.
6. San Diego Chargers, 11-5.
7. Buffalo Bills, 11-5.
When does the NFL playoffs start?
The Wild Card Round will be held from January 10th to 12th.
NFL playoff schedule
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Wild card round: January 10-12
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Division rounds: January 17-18
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Conference Championships: January 25
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Super Bowl 60: February 8, Santa Clara, California
This article originally appeared in the Detroit Free Press: Lions-Bears game starter? Who’s in and who’s out in Week 18 games?