The NFL season is finally here, and the Detroit Lions jumped into the 2025-26 season with a loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, September 7. Sadly, it was a pretty brutal loss, with the Lions falling to the Packers, 27-13. Anyone who has been a Lions fan for long enough knows that losing to the Packers stings even more than losing to some of the other teams, even in the NFC North.
But, now, the Lions have to forget all of that and look ahead to the future. The team has a massive game against Chicago Bears, who have a new head coach in Ben Johnson, on Sunday, September 14. This game is home, so it’s great that the Lions will get a home field advantage, but will that be enough to push them to a win?
The Bears lost their first game of the season, and so did the Lions, so these teams are both hungry for a win. This year, quarterback Caleb Williams is already looking much better for the Bears, so the Lions will have to contain him. But, Dan Campbell an the team are getting some good predictions heading into the game.
Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears Game Predictions
So, what do the personalities in the NFL think about this upcoming game? In a Thursday, September 11, feature for the NFL’s website, Ali Bhanpuri, Tom Blair, Brooke Cersosimo and Dan Parr break down the Week 2 matchups and who they think will win.
Well, the great news is that for the Bears vs. Lions, they go with the Lions. They seem pretty strong about that projection, too.
“I know Detroit is also reeling following its miserable Week 1 at Lambeau, but I’ve seen Dan Campbell rally his crew after an L before,” Bhanpuri states in the piece. “In fact, per NFL Research, the Lions are the only team that hasn’t lost back-to-back regular-season games since 2023 and are 11-4 after a loss since 2022 (fourth-best). The wins will come for this Bears team — just maybe not this weekend.”
In ESPN’s similar piece with Week 2 predictions, Eric Woodyard notes, “The return Johnson to Detroit has been the topic of discussion all week. But Detroit is also looking to avoid going 0-2 for the first time since 2021 — Dan Campbell’s first season. In Johnson’s three years as Lions OC, he developed close ties to many of the current players, but those friendships will be put aside.”
Dan Campbell is Determined to Win This Game
All eyes are on the Lions and Bears game, and Campbell was asked about the matchup against the Chicago Bears during a conference on Monday, September 8. People want to know what it will be like to go up against Johnson.
“It’s the same thing. He knows what we’re about, we know what he’s about and because of that, you’re going to play that game a little bit,” Campbell said about Johnson in the conference. He added, “We’re going in and getting ready to play Chicago. We’re going to win this game. We have to.”
It’s shaping up to be a massive showdown between two of the hottest teams in the NFC. Let’s hope Campbell and company can pull off a victory.
