Lions vs. Bears bold predictions for Week 18 clash

The Chicago Bears have come out of the darkness this season, going from a last-place team to the NFC North champion. After years of backsliding, poor choices and failing to make plays when the game is on the line, first-year head coach Ben Johnson put that brutal past behind the team and drove the Bears towards significant improvement and professionalism. He has coached quarterback Caleb Williams to play at a high level and perform at his best when the game is on the line.

The Detroit Lions are one of the most disappointing teams in the league. They were a powerhouse offensive team in each of the past two years and they were co-favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl when the season kicked off. However, head coach Dan Campbell’s team made multiple mistakes along the way and has fallen apart in recent weeks. The 8-8 Lions have fallen into last place in the NFC North — the division were expected to own.

The Bears (11-5) are playing in Week 18 to hold on to the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoff structure. They have the same record as the NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles, but the Bears have the tiebreaker edge because they beat the defending Super Bowl champions head to head. The Eagles have a relatively easy game at home against the Washington Commanders, so the Bears need to beat the Lions if they are going to keep their position.

The No. 2 seed in the NFC will play the Green Bay Packers — locked into the No. 7 seed — in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

Caleb Williams will throw 3 TD passes vs. Lions defense

Williams has had an impressive season in his second year in the league. He was overmatched at times as a rookie, regularly showing off his athletic skills but making mistakes in crucial situations. Williams has come through when the game is on the line this season, and much of that is due to the coaching he has received from Johnson.

The coach was hard and demanding of the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft and pointed out poor technique and mistakes throughout training camp and the early part of the season. Williams has responded very well to that coaching and he has produced on a consistent basis.

The Bears dropped their Week 17 game to the streaking San Francisco 49ers. However, Williams went punch for punch with Niners QB Brock Purdy in the 42-38 defeat. He completed 25 of 42 passes for 330 yards with 2 TDs and no interceptions. Williams has completed 310 of 535 passes for 3,730 yards with a stellar 25-6 TD-interception ratio this season.

In addition to his passing, Williams has demonstrated impressive ability to make plays with his legs. He has rushed for 387 yards and averaged 5.09 yards per attempt while scoring 3 TDs. In addition to his stats, he can get away from the pass rush, buy time for his receivers to get open and deliver the ball accurately.

Bears running game will produce 150-plus yards and 1 TD

The Bears have gotten a big lift from their running game as D’Andre Swift and rookie Kyle Monangai have given Williams tremendous support. Swift has carried the ball 213 times for 1,047 yards and has scored 9 TDs. He has averaged 4.92 yards per carry and can break long plays when he gets to the second level. Monangai has outperformed his selection as a 7th-round draft choice. He has 163 carries for 769 yards and 5 TDs and he finishes runs with power and determination.

Wide receivers D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze (foot) are looked at as the team’s top receivers along with tight end Colston Loveland, but rookie Luther Burden III is an emerging big-play threat and may be the most dangerous receiver going into this game. He has caught 44-617-2 this season, but he served notice that the best is yet to come as he caught 8-138-1 in the shootout loss to the Niners.

Campbell’s pride will push Lions; Jared Goff will throw 2 TD passes

The Lions are in last place in the NFC North and that can’t sit well with head coach Dan Campbell. However, a fourth-place finish means a fourth-place schedule. That would mean games against teams including the New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans. The Bears and New England Patriots have gotten a lift from a fourth-place schedule this year, and the Lions can take advantage of it next year.

Nevertheless, Campbell is not going to allow his team to simply roll over and absorb the team’s 4th consecutive loss. If the Lions go down, they will go down swinging.

Jared Goff has thrown for 4,233 yards with a 33-7 TD-interception ratio and he will throw at least 2 TD passes against the Bears secondary. Star WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (knee) is far from 100 percent, but he has a ton of pride and he will want to add to his 106-1,262-11 season. Fellow wideout Jameson Williams has caught 59-1,043-7 and his speed will cause problems for the Bears.

Bears survive in 4th quarter and will gain No. 2 seed

The Lions will not roll over and they will make this game very uncomfortable for the Bears. However, Williams will do what he usually does and come through in the fourth quarter. The Bears have shown they can win when the game is on the line and look for a late Williams TD pass to Burden to provide the winning margin.

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