Three and Out: Satisfying finale can't soften frustration, 5 Lions who need to provide more in 2026, and a stab at predicting the playoffs
Allen Park — Here are three thoughts after a second viewing and some time to ponder the Detroit Lions’ 19-16 win over the Chicago Bears.
Stay angry and stay the course
Fueled by the frustrations of falling short of expectations, Lions fans grew tired of coach Dan Campbell telling everyone that the team is close or not far off. But, in some ways, they proved his point against the Bears on Sunday.
It ultimately didn’t matter, but Chicago went into that game with critical stakes. They needed a win to secure the conference’s second seed, which would ensure a second home game at Soldier Field if they advance beyond the Wild Card round.
The Lions, as noted repeatedly the past week, were playing for little more than pride. And down the best player on a much-maligned offensive line, the daunting task of sweeping the season series from a Bears team playing with far more confidence than they had in Week 2 was steeper.
It wasn’t pretty, but it was gritty. The defense stymied the Bears for three quarters and came up with a critical stop late in the fourth frame after Jared Goff got careless with the football. As thanks, Goff rebounded to get the offense into field-goal range for a game-winner as time expired.
It was a feel-good moment in a feel-bad month. The Lions reminded themselves of who they are and what they’re capable of being, beating a good team on the road.
After the game, Campbell told the locker room that the team fell one play short of their postseason aspirations. It’s not necessarily incorrect, but the counter is that they were one play away against the New York Giants from being eliminated from playoff contention even earlier.
What’s important is that the Lions don’t let the vibes of Sunday’s win cloud their decision-making this offseason. That’s both roster and coaching staff decisions. If Campbell wasn’t feeling good about something prior to the season-ending win, his opinion shouldn’t be meaningfully swayed by this snapshot in time.