Oddsmakers favor Ben Johnson’s Bears over Lions in Week 18 rematch

This is surely not wherever nan Detroit Lions expected to beryllium successful Week 18 of nan 2025 season.

Regardless of nan consequence connected Sunday erstwhile nan Lions (8-8) recreation to look nan Chicago Bears astatine Soldier Field, nan play will extremity for Detroit without a travel to nan playoffs.

The Bears (11-5), however, person won nan NFC North title for nan first clip since 2018 successful nan team’s first play nether erstwhile Lions violative coordinator Ben Johnson.

With Chicago bound for nan playoffs contempt a tight nonaccomplishment to nan San Francisco 49ers connected nan roadworthy past week, nan Lions find themselves arsenic nan underdog successful their last crippled of nan season. Oddsmakers, including FanDuel and BetMGM person Detroit arsenic 2.5-point roadworthy underdogs against nan Bears.

This is nan first clip since Week 9 of 2022 that nan Lions person been underdogs against nan Bears. That crippled was besides successful Chicago, which Detroit won, 31-30.

While winning this crippled wouldn’t really connection overmuch for nan Lions extracurricular of pridefulness and getting to expanse nan caller NFC North champs, a nonaccomplishment would people 4 consecutive defeats for nan team. That would beryllium nan longest losing streak for nan franchise since 5 consecutive successful 2022 — which led to nan Lions’ turnaround play nether coach Dan Campbell.

Detroit’s discourtesy is coming disconnected an abysmal crippled pinch a season-low 231 full yards of discourtesy and six turnovers against nan Minnesota Vikings successful a Christmas Day crippled that led to nan Lions’ elimination from playoff contention.

Chicago’s defense, meanwhile, is coming disconnected its worst capacity since nan Lions dropped 52 points connected them successful Week 2. The Bears still kept gait pinch a 49ers squad vying for nan No. 1 seed successful nan NFC down their offense.

This season, nan Bears only person 1 crippled pinch nether 300 full yards of discourtesy and person 400-plus yards successful 3 of their past 5 games.

This will beryllium nan 192nd gathering betwixt nan NFC North foes. The Bears lead nan all-time bid 105-81-5, nevertheless nan Lions person won six of their past 7 matchups, including a ascendant triumph backmost successful September.

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• Why a Week 18 nonaccomplishment to Bears is champion point for Detroit Lions’ future
• NFL Week 18 powerfulness rankings: Lions proceed to descent aft nonaccomplishment to Vikings
• Lions fable snubbed arsenic Hall of Fame finalists are announced

Jacob Richman is simply a sports newsman for MLive.com and covers pro and assemblage teams crossed Michigan. Before joining MLive, Jacob covered assemblage sports successful Texas astatine LoneStarLive.com pinch a attraction connected Texas A&M and...