Around the NFC North: 2025 Week 18
No one wants to win.
By Mike Price
The season played out like, I'm sure, we all thought it would. All four NFC North teams had a winning record and a positive point differential. The Bears won the division with a two-game win advantage over the Packers, Lions, and Vikings. They won the division by ending the game losing two in a row and what should've been four out of five. And that wasn't even the worst final quarter performance: the Packers have lost the last four and limped into the playoffs with about as bad a last four games as you could imagine. Yuck.
Bears and Lions
The Bears fell to the Lions, who shouldn't have been trying, 19-16.
Game Notes
- The Lions lost four draft spots by winning this game and will now draft 17th. The Vikings, picking 18th, have the worst draft pick outside of playoff teams. The Bears backed into the two-seed and will play the Packers at home this week. I'm nervous! The Packers clearly outplayed the Bears in two games and now have 67 injuries. Can they do it again? They'd better, or I'm going to write an angry letter.
- The Bears sort of ignored the fact that the first half exists in this one and couldn't pull out the come-from-behind win in the second. Some are pointing out that the Bears definitely knew they had to lose to have a chance not to play the Packers again.
- Ben Johnson is not one of those people, as he talked some sh** about the Packers resting players by saying the Bears don't do that, they play football to win. They just happened to lose to a team with nothing to play for. Embarrassing! (Embearrassing)
- It's worth noting that Caleb Williams was short of the 4,000-yard passing mark in the season. Hilarious that the NFL added another game to the season and the Bears still haven't had a QB hit 4k yards.
- You may have noticed that I didn't include any stats here; that's because they don't matter and the game didn't either.
Vikings
The Vikings beat a woeful Packers' third-string roster, 16-3.
Game Notes
- Not a lot to say about this game other than the best QB in the game was Max Brosmer. JJ McCarthy re-injured his hand and will reportedly miss the next 34 weeks.
- Everyone was mad last week when I said I'd like to see Aaron Jones back in Green Bay and Emmanuel Wilson proved them right with a very nice negative 19-yard run against the Vikings who are known for their run defense (false). Just what we're looking for.
- Sadly, it seems like this was the last career game for Harrison Smith. Smith is one of the few remaining players older than me and born in the 1980's. He's so old, Ed Orgeron recruited him to Ole Miss. Bet you didn't even remember that Orgeron coached Ole Miss.
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Mike Price is a lifelong Packers fan who recently moved from Utah to Stoughton (a Madison suberb). You can follow him on twitter at @themikeprice.
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Comments (33)
Coldworld
January 06, 2026 at 09:51 am
No, Wilson did not prove you right, much as I love Jones. Wilson had one dumbass play (hey, at least he was trying). He also generated five missed tackles, delivered 48 yards after contact and 62 yards and 5 first downs on his other touches, and didn’t whiff in protection or fumble. Not his best day, but not your validation either.
dobber
January 06, 2026 at 10:57 am
People should go back and see how many big negative runs Barry Sanders had...but none were last Sunday.
lou
January 06, 2026 at 01:32 pm
Wilson has been a solid backup since he arrived, he has a quick first step and he runs through tackles with forward lean which has moved the chains for the Packers on 3rd downs a majority of the time which hasn't always been the case in prior years.
At last weeks coaches press conference running backs coach Ben Sirmans said, "I think Emanuel is the type of running back that probably could, if he was starting, could have like an 1,100-yard season. It might not be flashy like you see some other guys … but I think he would be steady."
Starrbrite
January 06, 2026 at 01:54 pm
Agree—he’s steady, reliable, healthy, and an excellent backup.
I hope Lloyd joins Jacobs and Wilson next season for a 3-headed monster.
T7Steve
January 06, 2026 at 10:23 am
Bring on the Bears!
The list for "Around the NFC North" will be allot shorter next week.
dobber
January 06, 2026 at 11:02 am
"Ben Johnson is not one of those people, as he talked some sh** about the Packers resting players by saying the Bears don't do that, they play football to win. They just happened to lose to a team with nothing to play for. Embarrassing! (Embearrassing)"
Ben Johnson is the yappy dog from the old Looney Tunes who rambles around the Bronx with the Bulldog enforcer (Dan Campbell). At some point without the bulldog, the other bullies are going to beat up on his ass.
Dan Campbell's hobbled Lions should've hung much more than 19 on the Bears. Three possessions inside the 10 yard line that ended up FGs? That could've been 28-0 or more to start the 4th quarter. The Bears should've never been in position to mount a comeback. Take care of the football and score TDs and you beat the Bears.
"You may have noticed that I didn't include any stats here; that's because they don't matter and the game didn't either."
It did in the sense that it almost cost the Bears the 2-seed (since Philly was playing at the same time and was in a tight game) and it would've been poetic justice for them to end up on the road in the playoffs because of it. Won't matter because the Packers will beat them, anyway.
"Wilson proved them right with a very nice negative 19-yard run against the Vikings "
The killer was that--even though the offense was doing nothing--it gifted the Vikes field position after the punt that turned into their only TD of the day and a 13-0 lead.
Brewcity_BearsFan
January 06, 2026 at 11:57 am
There seems to be genuine animosity between La Fluer and Johnson. I am not sure where it stems from, other than Johnson's quip about beating La Fluer twice a year.
Was it just bravado, and shit stirring to jump start a rivalry that has been mostly dormant for 2 decades? Is La Fluer genuinely not liked amongst his peers?
Saturday night should be electric.
FumundaStank
January 06, 2026 at 12:15 pm
Pretty sure it's a fan and media driven thing. Any new Bears coach hired is obligated to say they look forward to beating the Packers twice a year. It gets the Bears fans excited about the frequent new coach hires.
Brewcity_BearsFan
January 06, 2026 at 12:18 pm
Right, and that is how I took it. No different than Lovie Smith saying the Bears needed to beat the Packers if they wanted to win the division.
That said, there wasn't any animosity between McCarthy and Lovie. Or Packer fans and Lovie for that matter. Maybe I am remembering differently.
LeotisHarris
January 06, 2026 at 01:12 pm
Yeah, nothing but respect between McCarthy and Lovie. True pros on and off the field.
I'll only jump on the hype train if Johnson and LaFleur both rip off their shirts after the game and go WWE on each other at midfield. It would quickly become a meme, go viral, and be the 2026 version of Halas privately telling Lombardi the Bears were going to kick the Packers ass.
Are we not entertained?
dobber
January 06, 2026 at 01:36 pm
Yeah, if each brings a folding chair to midfield for post-game handshakes, it's on, man!
Packerlifer
January 08, 2026 at 09:25 pm
Smith was hired and said that while Mike Sherman was still coaching in Green Bay.
Coldworld
January 06, 2026 at 12:20 pm
Johnson seems to see LaFleur as an easy motivational tool. I think it’s nothing to do with LaFleur as a person but a cheap way to puff out his chest and the bravura of a franchise by targeting the Head Coach of their biggest rival. It’s not new: Lovie tried the same thing. In the end it will be a similar millstone if he doesn’t deliver (and LaFleur hangs around).
Ben Johnson’s teams look like they have a dirty streak too, something his coaching hires lend weight to. It will be interesting to see how his career goes in future. He looks like a guy who will live or die by fire. In his case it may be an act, unlike his former boss. We will see.
ThunderFromDownunder
January 06, 2026 at 03:09 pm
I think the difference is he didn`t say the Bears beating the Packers . It was a lot more personal with him beating MLF .
jlc1
January 06, 2026 at 01:23 pm
Hmmm...Lions couldn't convert in RZ. Neither could Pack. Might be the Bears have something to do with that and MLF better figure it out.
Starrbrite
January 06, 2026 at 02:03 pm
I like your cartoon comparison of Campbell and Johnson; excellent-funny.
I don’t know if you saw the handshake/greeting between Johnson and Campbell following the game?—I’m not sure they even looked at each other.
I haven’t pulled for the lions for awhile, but I did in this game.
Mister Chievous
January 07, 2026 at 07:54 am
Tom and Jerry. not looney tunes.
Leatherhead
January 06, 2026 at 12:04 pm
Lions and Vikings had everything go right for them in 2024. In 2025, not so much. They both missed the playoffs and the they're both behind the Bears and Packers. As it should be. How many seasons before one, or both, of KOC and Campbell are fired?
As it was in the days when men hunted mastodons with stone clubs, it comes down to the Bears and Packers on a cold day in January. As it should be.
Brewcity_BearsFan
January 06, 2026 at 12:12 pm
The Vikings don't have a QB. That is why they are home. It wasn't O'Connell who let Jones and Darnold walk.
Lions had injuries. A lot of them. I know that doesn't draw sympathy around here, but it doesn't make it any less a factor.
The North had 4 teams finish above .500. The Packers tie against the Cowboys wound up being the difference in them playing Saturday night, and watching the game.
I would be surprised if the Lions didn't bounce back next year.
Minnesota is a different story. They are in a cap bind. Flores will draw head coaching inquiries, as he should. Minnesota should cut him a blank check to stay as DC/ Asst HC. They should also look for a veteran who they can get on a team friendly one year deal to compete with McCarthy. Jamis Winston may be perfect, and damn he would be fun to watch with Jefferson and Addison catching passes.
Leatherhead
January 06, 2026 at 12:27 pm
Who are the Lions going to bounce back over? The Packers or the Bears?
On O'Connell....this is his 4th year in the league. Next year will be #5. He's made the wildcard round twice and lost both times, 0-2. They're about to lose their DC and they have no QB and they have a cap bind, as you say. How long are they going to stick with O'Connell if he doesn't make the playoffs and advance? I'm just saying, good coaches get fired all the time by owners who want to "change things up".
Here's the story on Campbell: He, and his team, choked away a trip to the Super Bowl in the second half two years ago. Then he had a real good regular season, followed by an upset loss in the playoffs. This year, he finished in last place and missed the playoffs.
As far back as I remember, I don't recall a team that came that close, and then choked it away, ever coming back. The 2014 Packers are a clear case in point, although there have been plenty of others. If your team chokes it away like that, you're probably ahead to tear it down and rebuild it. The Lions will not get it done with Campbell and Goff.
Bearmeat
January 06, 2026 at 12:54 pm
That would be the Bears. They have a 7-3 record in one score games this year. An insane turnover regression coming, and had almost no consequential injuries. I’d bet they struggle to 3rd in the division next year. Minny will be in last again unless they pull a QB out of their hat.
Brewcity_BearsFan
January 06, 2026 at 01:07 pm
Chicago needs pass Rush. Their secondary has been incredibly opportunistic. A staple of both Dennis Allen, and Al Harris.
Disagree about the injuries. Jalon Johnson missed more than half the season. Kyler Gordon has missed almost the entire season. (Their top 2 corners). Odunze has missed the last 5 games. Odeyingbo tore his Achilles and has missed over half the season.
The 2025 draft is why I don't think Chicago regresses, barring major injuries. Loveland, Trapillo, Burden, and Monangai have all been major contributors as rookies. I will make a bold statement, and suggest most Packer fans would rather have Burden over Golden at this point.
dobber
January 06, 2026 at 01:38 pm
It's Brother Harris' time to be a DC...maybe in GB next year if Hafley departs.
Brewcity_BearsFan
January 06, 2026 at 02:09 pm
There were rumblings of Harris being a DC following his stint in Dallas. He could be a candidate in Washington, where Dan Quinn, his old boss, is HC.
I am hoping like hell Chicago can keep him. His influence has been undeniable.
Mister Chievous
January 07, 2026 at 08:02 am
Baltimore and Derrick Henry took the shine off hafley. he'll be back.
Bearmeat
January 06, 2026 at 02:08 pm
No. Golden not producing is more a product of the numbers in front of him and the coaching staff. The Packers WRs are a vet group. Not so outside of Moore with the Bears. And it’s a new system. Everyone is new in that system.
Regarding regression - it’s going to happen. You guys have been incredibly lucky with turnovers and one score wins. That WILL regress. I will grant you that injuries at CB has been a problem for you. Sure. But injuries will always happen. When you lose blue chip players, or an entire position group (as GB has) that’s going to rear it’s head.
Leatherhead
January 06, 2026 at 06:07 pm
I have to check your logic here. Your rookie class this year all stayed healthy and contribute . Four contributors. And you think they'll be better, individually and collectively, next year.?? I'm not so sure.
Packer rookies get a "red shirt" year, where they work hard to improve and prepare for the next season, but don't play much usually. Our 2025 draft class of Golden-Belton-Williams looks like a very good group to me.
I give 100% credit to the Bears for being coming out on top of so many of these close games. If they continue to do that,they'll win every Super Bowl forever. But as we know, that's not going to happen. Eventually, the ball doesn't bounce your way. They're a good team. Not as good as the Packers, though.
Brewcity_BearsFan
January 06, 2026 at 09:37 pm
Correct. I am of the belief that guys who got live experience, and are significant contributors, will grow, and contribute further next season.
Loveland and Burden are going to be a problem for defenses.
Monangai can be Johnson's Montgomery.
Trapillo has been at LT on the best, or one of the best O Lines in the NFL.
That's a first, two seconds, and a seventh round pick.
Their previous draft with Williams, Odunze, Taylor, and Booker (I know he is enemy number 1 right now), is looking really damn good as well.
Yes, it is all predicated on health, which is never a given.
Leatherhead
January 06, 2026 at 06:12 pm
A fact, hard-learned: Eventually, the breaks even out.
Minny is going to make a play. Maybe for Lamar Jackson. They let Darnold go and he's quarterbacking the #1 seed, so maybe some personnel people are looking at fixing that.
I think Detroit has it worst: An aging QB and a team on the decline.
Brewcity_BearsFan
January 06, 2026 at 09:40 pm
I have read whispers of Lamar to Minnesota, (same for Burrow). I don't think MN can make either work given their cap situation.
Packerlifer
January 08, 2026 at 09:30 pm
Just a little correction: O'Connel won the NFC North his first season and was a Wild Card last year. His "good-bad-good-bad string has been directly tied to what happens with his quarterback.
Coldworld
January 06, 2026 at 12:23 pm
I can’t say that about the Lions last year, certainly after the first half. They still had an elite OL and no D though. This year they did not have the OL but the D was similar, and that was that.
LeotisHarris
January 06, 2026 at 01:01 pm
There's an interview with Lions LT Taylor Decker floating around the interwebz. He gives the rundown on what he endured in order to play this year, and hints at retirement. That would be another huge blow for that OL.