For the first time since 2022, the Detroit Lions are watching the playoffs from the couch - and that stings. But what makes it worse?
Their longtime rivals, the Chicago Bears, not only made the postseason but also won a playoff game. And if that wasn’t enough salt in the wound, they’re being led by none other than Ben Johnson - the same Ben Johnson who was calling plays in Detroit not long ago.
It’s a tough pill to swallow for Lions fans who’ve grown used to being at the top of the NFC North the past couple of years. But now, the Bears are starting to look like a team that’s not just having a good season - they might be building something sustainable. And yes, it’s starting to feel real.
Chicago pulled off another late-game comeback in their playoff win, a hallmark of this season’s team. They were down double digits, but just like they’ve done multiple times this year, they found a way to claw back and steal it at the end. It’s the kind of gritty, resilient football that wins in January - and it’s being executed by a team that looks like it’s only getting better.
Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit’s star edge rusher and one of the few bright spots in a disappointing season, made the media rounds this week and gave some insight into just how far Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has come in Year 2.
“I probably missed two or three sacks on him this year, which hurts so bad,” Hutchinson said. “If you’re the first one running in, that’s where it’s the hardest because he’s got the spin out, he’s very quick. He’s so tough to defend.”
That’s high praise coming from a guy who makes a living chasing down quarterbacks. But Hutchinson wasn’t just talking about Williams’ athleticism - he also pointed to how much the young QB has grown within Ben Johnson’s offensive system.
“Ben is a very progression system. It’s evolved. It’s very high-level offense, and I think as the year has progressed, [Williams has] really gotten a grasp of the offense in a great way.”
That’s the kind of development that should make the rest of the NFC North sit up and pay attention. Williams isn’t just freelancing out there - he’s learning, processing, and executing at a high level in a complex system.
And when a quarterback with his physical tools starts to master the mental side of the game? That’s when things get scary.
Hutchinson’s comments carry weight. He’s faced Williams twice this season, and if anyone knows how hard it is to bring him down or throw him off rhythm, it’s the guy who’s been chasing him all over the field. And according to Hutchinson, Williams is only getting better.
That’s not exactly what Lions fans want to hear, especially after back-to-back NFC North titles in 2023 and 2024 had the fan base thinking this was going to be a sustained run. But 2025 threw a wrench into that narrative. The Lions took a step back, and the Bears took a leap forward - maybe even a leap into long-term contention.
The good news? Detroit still swept Chicago in the regular season.
So while the Bears are the team dancing in the postseason right now, the Lions can at least hang their hat on that. It’s a small consolation, sure, but in a season like this, you take what you can get.
The hope in Detroit is that 2026 brings a return to form - that the Lions get back to looking like the team that bullied the division for two years. Because right now, the Bears are starting to look like the ones ready to take that mantle. And if this is the new normal in the NFC North, it’s going to be a fight every year.
For now, the Lions are on the outside looking in, and the Bears - led by a former Detroit play-caller and a rising star at quarterback - are making noise in January. That’s not the timeline Lions fans signed up for. But it’s the one they’re living in.