Game result: The Lions beat the Bears, 19-16, in the regular season finale. The Bears will enter the NFC Playoffs as the No. 2 seed despite the loss because the Philadelphia Eagles also lost to the Washington Commanders while resting their starters in Week 18. The Bears will host the Green Bay Packers in the 2-7 matchup in the Wild Card round.
NFL playoff picture: What Bears loss to Lions means for NFC standings in Week 18
The Bears face the Lions in Chicago on Sunday. We break down what the game means for the NFL playoff picture in Week 18.
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The Chicago Bears host the Detroit Lions on the final Sunday of the 2025-26 NFL season. This final rivalry matchup of the season is not nearly as big a deal as it could have been if certain preseason expectations had been fulfilled. The Bears are a surprise atop the NFC North, and particularly so given that the Lions were expected to compete for the division title, and potentially the Lombardi Trophy.
The Bears are 11-5 and in first place in the division, while the Lions are 8-8 and could finish the season in last place. The Lions and Vikings are tied for last place, and since Minnesota swept the season series, they hold the tiebreaker in the division standings.
The game kicks off at 4:25 p.m. ET and the Bears are a 2.5-point favorite.
Chicago Bears playoff picture
The Bears clinched the division title after the Packers lost to the Ravens in Week 17. Chicago entered the weekend sitting in second place in the overall NFC standings. They’re tied with the Eagles, but hold the head-to-head tiebreaker thanks to their Week 13 win in Philadelphia.
If the Bears beat the Lions or the Eagles lose their final against the Commanders, Chicago will clinch the No. 2 seed and Philly will secure the No. 3 seed. If the Bears lose and the Eagles win, the reverse would happen. The Eagles are a 7.5-point favorite against the Commanders and kick off at the same time as Bears-Lions.
Chicago Bears playoff history
The Bears are headed back to the playoffs for the first time since 2020. That year, they finished second in the NFC North and lost a Wild Card round matchup against the Saints. The last time the Bears won the division title was in 2018, and that year they lost a Wild Card round matchup against the Eagles. The Bears last playoff win came in January 2011 when they beat the Seahawks in the Divisional Round. They lost in the NFC Championship Game that season.
Tiebreaker implications
This has no impact on tiebreakers.
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