Lions beat playoff-bound Bears
19-16 on Bates' 42-yard field goal as time expires
[January 05, 2026]
By ANDREW SELIGMAN
CHICAGO (AP) — Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions entered the season
with their sights set on the Super Bowl. Finishing a frustrating
year by beating their division winner was at least some consolation.
Goff led five scoring drives, Jake Bates kicked a 42-yard field goal
as time expired and the Lions regrouped to beat the NFC North
champion Chicago Bears 19-16 on Sunday after blowing a 16-point lead
in the fourth quarter.
“It feels good to kind of get back to who we are and see it in
live-speed reality,” Goff said.
What doesn't feel good? Missing the playoffs.
“It’s frustrating,” coach Dan Campbell said. "So that’s what fuels
you. We don’t want to be doing that again next year. That’s not
where we want to be. We have got to get in.”
The Bears (11-6) stumbled into the playoffs with back-to-back
losses, though they secured the No. 2 seed in the NFC with
Washington beating Philadelphia. Chicago will host Green Bay in a
wild-card game on Saturday night and would have home-field advantage
in the divisional round if it beats the Packers.
“We’re going to use this frustration,” said Caleb Williams, who set
the franchise’s single-season passing record. “We’re going to get on
a roll here this week, starting this week and that’s the focus.”
Williams threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes as the Bears
wiped out a 16-0 deficit.
The Lions (9-8) started the final drive at their 37 after Chicago
punted on fourth-and-5 at the 31. Bears coach Ben Johnson considered
going for the first down but decided against it, figuring he had
three timeouts and would probably get the ball back.
That didn't happen, and Detroit ended a disappointing season on a
winning note when Bates nailed a 42-yarder. A 26-yard pass from Goff
to Amon-Ra St. Brown helped set up the field goal and Detroit came
out on top after losing three in a row.
Goff shook off his worst game of the season by throwing for 331
yards with a touchdown and an interception. The four-time Pro Bowler
completed 27 of 42 passes after setting season highs with two
interceptions and three fumbles and matched one by getting sacked
five times last week at Minnesota.
St. Brown had 139 yards on 11 receptions. Gibbs ran for 80 yards and
had a touchdown catch. Avonte Maddox intercepted Williams in the end
zone in the third quarter.
“I still believe the nucleus of this team is right,” Campbell said.
“I really do. But we are going to need to make a few changes. Not
just talking about that. It will be collectively. We’re going to
have to work through some things to get the best version of
ourselves.”
Williams' record
Williams threw for 212 yards, giving him 3,942 this season to
surpass Erik Kramer’s franchise mark of 3,838 in 1995. Chicago
remains the only team without a 4,000-yard passer.
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Detroit Lions place kicker Jake Bates (39) kicks a field goal on the
final play of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears,
Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Colston Loveland caught 10 passes for 91 yards and
a touchdown. Kevin Byard had his league-leading seventh
interception.
“They fought their tails off, but came up short,”
Johnson said. “We’ve got to play better going forward, we’ve got to
coach better going forward as well and we’re turning the page,
though. We got the No. 2 seed, we’ve got a home game next week and
we’ve got a new season on the horizon. Our guys should be
reinvigorated by that. I know I certainly am.”
The Bears hadn’t made the playoffs since 2020. But they won the
division in Johnson’s first season after finishing last a year ago.
Bears rally
Chicago trailed 16-0 in the opening minute of the fourth quarter
when Williams connected with Jahdae Walker for a 25-yard touchdown
and broke Kramer’s record. A 2-point conversion run by Kyle Monangai
cut it to 16-8.
After the Lions punted, Chicago went 88 yards for a touchdown, with
Williams finding Colston Loveland in the end zone from the 1. A
lunging Cole Kmet then hauled in the 2-point conversion pass in a
crowd, tying it at 16 and whipping the crowd into a frenzy.
The Lions then had the ball at the Chicago 35 when Goff attempted to
zip a pass to St. Brown. The Bears’ Jaquan Brisker tipped the ball
and Byard picked it off at the 5.
Injuries
Lions: WR Tom Kennedy (rib) was hurt returning a punt in the third
quarter.
Bears: The Bears held out LT Ozzy Trapilo (knee/quad) after he was
limited in practice during the week. ... LB Ty Summers (foot) left
after he was injured on the opening kickoff. ... C.J.
Gardner-Johnson (concussion) left after he was hurt on the winning
drive.
Up next
Lions: Start the offseason.
Bears: Host Green Bay in a wild-card game on Saturday night.
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