Bears vs. Lions Prediction: Must win game for both teams |
Dustin Riese
· · 3 hours ago
Now that the dust has settled after a tough week one loss, the Chicago Bears are ready to hit the road for the first time in 2025 as they get set to take on the Detroit Lions in week 2. Every game in the NFL is important, but if you thought last week's game was important, this week is an even bigger game as the Bears need to avoid a 0-2 start.
For that to happen, they will have to figure out a way to beat a Lions team that has been the class of the division for the past few seasons, but is also coming off a week one loss that was an ugly defeat, according to all accounts. Neither of these teams wants to fall to 0-2, as they would be two games behind the Packers and potentially the Vikings just two weeks in. Given what you saw from both teams last week, there are a lot of things to clean up on both sides of the ball as neither team looked great apart from a few possessions. At least the Bears showed more fight as they took the Vikings down to the final play, while the Lions were completely lifeless most of that game. A lot of that can be attributed to not having Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson as their coordinators this season, as many feel this year will be a work in progress for Detroit. In other words, if you want to acquire them, this could be the time, as they should improve as the season progresses. Here are some things to look for ahead of this game.
There is no question that not having Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon hurt this team down the stretch on Monday as Minnesota torched the Bears' secondary without them. Even with both teams missing their last game, Chicago held the Vikings to only 143 yards passing, so all was not lost by the end. Detroit is one of those offenses that prides itself on rhythm, and if they get into a rhythm, there is no stopping this offense. They weren't in a rhythm at all against the Packers, and the results showed on the field as they struggled to do much offensively. Don't expect that to be the case on Sunday, but if Johnson and Gordon are out again, it could be a long day for Chicago. Injuries are part of the game, but having so many this early in key players is a bit concerning, as the Bears have no margin for error this season. While he hasn't officially been upgraded for this game, Johnson is trending in a direction that suggests he will play, which is huge for the Bears, as they can't wait to get their defensive leaders back.
Week one is always hit or miss when it comes to the quality of play, as that is the first game where starters play more than a quarter. Often, this leads to struggles on both sides of the ball, as coaches and players alike try to iron out the kinks. You saw a lot of that in Chicago on Monday, apart from the Bears' first possession, but the biggest area of concern was the mental aspect of the game as Chicago committed 12 penalties against the Vikings. That is something that needs to change and be cleaned up, and Ben Johnson is aware of this. Since the start of the offseason program, Johnson has brought a no-nonsense attitude to camp and has held everyone on his roster accountable for their mistakes. He is a detail-oriented coach who prides himself on the little things, so you know he was upset with how the team performed on Monday. Expect plenty of improvement on the mental side this week, as Johnson made sure to let his guys know that their performance was unacceptable.
While this may be another division game for the Lions, it comes with added motivation as Johnson returns to the field that made him a successful assistant, as he was the Lions' offensive coordinator the past four seasons. Not only that, but his WR Antwaan Randle-El was also part of the Lions staff before joining Johnson, so there will be some emotions stemming from the sidelines. Johnson may be a quiet-mannered coach who can keep his emotions in check, but the Lions players and fans alike didn't seem to be happy with some of the comments he made this weekend, and they are going to make sure he knows about it. This is going to be a hostile environment for the Bears as the Lions look to make Johnson and his team as uncomfortable as possible. Prediction: Bears 23-21 Given what we saw from the field last week, it's hard not to think that the Bears have a great shot to win this game. They were the better offensive team last week, and despite allowing 27 points, their defense played very well against Minnesota, apart from the final 12 minutes when it looked like they ran out of gas. Detroit, on the other hand, is coming off a performance that people saw coming, but just not to that degree, as they looked as bad as they have in three seasons. It's to fathom them looking that bad for a second straight week, as you expect a bounce-back performance of some sort from the Lions. While no one is saying that week two is a must-win game per se, this is one of those must-win mindset games, as you never want to start a season 0-2. Look for this game to go down to the final whistle, but it's the Lions that find a way to get it done, topping the Bears 23-21.Secondary injuries
Clean up the mistakes
Welcome home, Johnson
