Detroit Lions v Chicago Bears Michael Reaves/GettyImages
The Detroit Lions entered the 2025 season with big expectations, but their opener against the Green Bay Packers raised early concerns. Without former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Detroit’s offense sputtered in a 27-13 loss. The defeat ended a streak of 15 straight games scoring at least 20 points, while the Lions’ 3.8 yards per play was their lowest mark since 2021.
Head coach Dan Campbell didn’t shy away from acknowledging the urgency heading into Week 2 — especially with Johnson, now the head coach of the Chicago Bears, standing on the opposite sideline.
Campbell Sets the Tone
“Ben’s my friend. He’s always going to be my friend. But nothing about that’s going to change,” Campbell told The Detroit News. “We’re going in, getting ready to play Chicago. We’re going to win this game. We have to.”
Campbell expanded on his message Monday, emphasizing fundamentals:
“It’s the same thing. He knows what we’re about, we know what he’s about … But the game doesn’t matter if you don’t master the basics inside the game. That’s what we have to get back to. We have to worry about ourselves right now and just home in on the little things.”
The stats underscore the urgency. According to CBS Sports Research, since 1990, just 25.1% of teams that start 0-1 make the postseason, and that number plummets to 12.2% for teams that fall to 0-2.
Johnson’s Bears Also Under Pressure
Johnson’s Bears are facing their own doubts after a 20-17 collapse against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1. Rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy accounted for three fourth-quarter touchdowns in his NFL debut, exposing late-game miscues from Johnson in his head coaching debut.
Even so, Johnson’s offense flashed promise, and his familiarity with Detroit’s system makes this matchup even more intriguing. Campbell and Johnson formed one of the league’s most successful coach–coordinator tandems over the past two seasons, but Sunday marks their first meeting as rivals.
Must-win Stakes at Ford Field
The Lions’ home opener carries heightened stakes. A loss to Johnson’s Bears would not only drop Detroit to 0-2 but also cast doubt on whether the franchise can sustain its momentum without its two former coordinators. Campbell acknowledged the struggles of his young roster but insisted there’s only one direction left to go.
“Youth can play a part in it,” Campbell said. “We had some young guys that struggled yesterday. … But it wasn’t good enough. Good news is, there’s nowhere to go but up, and up they will go.”
For Campbell, there’s no mistaking the magnitude of Sunday’s divisional clash. The Lions must prove they can adjust without Johnson and Glenn — and avoid digging themselves into an early-season hole.
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