When the Bears take the field Sunday at Soldier Field, they’ll have more on their minds than just another regular-season game. Their matchup with the Lions offers a chance to measure how far they’ve come since an early-season embarrassment — and to show it wasn’t who they really were.

Back in Week 2, Bears coach Ben Johnson returned to Detroit only to watch his team get overwhelmed in a lopsided loss. The Lions shredded Chicago’s defense, averaging nearly 12 yards every time they snapped the ball.

The game was so out of hand that Detroit pulled its starters, yet still capped the afternoon with a fourth-and-goal touchdown that pushed the score to 52-21. The crowd didn’t hold back either, taunting Johnson after the final score.

Sixteen weeks later, that defeat still stings. Throughout the week at Halas Hall, film sessions have included reminders of that blowout, with the final score displayed alongside the clips.
“It’s still right there,” receivers coach Antwaan Randle-El said. “You can’t ignore it when you’re watching it again.”

The margin of defeat that day exceeded the Bears’ other four losses combined. It’s not something the players or coaches have forgotten.
“You remember exactly how that felt,” Johnson said. “And I know the guys do too.”

Now, Chicago has a chance to respond. A win Sunday would not only serve as redemption but could also secure the Bears the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs.

That position would guarantee home games in the first two postseason rounds — including a potential showdown with the Packers at Soldier Field next weekend.
Dropping to the third seed would still keep the Bears at home for the opening playoff game, but their path after that would be less certain.

While there are scenarios where Chicago could still move up with a loss, the team wants to carry momentum into January with a Week 18 victory.
After the Week 2 loss, Johnson addressed his team in the Lions’ locker room and told them he believed in them — even if the evidence wasn’t there yet.

“Saying that after a game like that isn’t easy,” Johnson said. “But our staff truly felt that way. We knew what kind of work they had put in during the offseason and training camp. We believed the talent was there, and that it wouldn’t take much to get things back on track.”

That belief paid off. The Bears went on to win nine of their next 10 games.
“It’s a reminder not to overreact too soon,” Johnson said. “You just keep working, stay focused, and eventually the results follow.”

Johnson drew from personal experience. In 2022, he was part of a Lions staff that started 1-6 before finishing strong. Randle-El and quarterbacks coach J.T. Barrett were on that team as well and shared that perspective with their position groups.

Even now, the memory of the loss still motivates them.
“It wasn’t just a loss — it was how it happened,” Randle-El said. “That’s what stuck with us. But we’re not the same team anymore.”

Defensively, improvement was almost guaranteed. Chicago allowed 8.8 yards per play in that game — the worst performance in franchise history. Even in a recent loss to the 49ers, the defense gave up significantly less.
“At this point, we know who we are,” linebacker Tremaine Edmunds said. “We’ve faced adversity, and we trust each other more because of it.”

Johnson admitted he wasn’t sure what to expect early in the season, especially during that first road test. Since then, the Bears have cleaned up penalties, improved communication before the snap, and become far more effective with motion and shifts — changes that have helped turn their running game into one of the league’s best.

“Our quarterback deserves a lot of credit,” Johnson said. “He’s grown a ton in terms of what he can manage. Everyone’s more comfortable now — longer calls, more cadence variety — and it’s helped the offense.”

Quarterback Caleb Williams expects Detroit to come out aggressively, even though the Lions have nothing to gain in the standings. He remembers how a Lions team in a similar position once eliminated the Packers in a season finale.

The Bears’ playoff spot is locked in, but Detroit can still make their road much tougher.
“They’re going to compete,” Williams said. “We have to bring that same intensity — or even more.”