ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- It goes without saying that the 2025 season has been a disappointment for the Detroit Lions after being eliminated from playoff contention following a Week 17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Following back-to-back NFC North division titles, and a franchise-best 15-win season in 2024, head coach Dan Campbell likened Detroit's current situation to hitting "rock bottom" after being viewed as early Super Bowl contenders to becoming a non-playoff team.
"Sometimes you've got to hit rock bottom before you can work your way back up. And relative to where we were at, this is rock bottom," Campbell said ahead of Wednesday's practice. "But as bad as it looks -- I said this the other day -- it's not as far away as it may appear. We've just got to get a few things back in line here."
However, Campbell will try to snap Detroit's three-game losing skid during Sunday's regular season finale on the road at Chicago, who are led by his former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson -- who is now head coach of the Bears.
The Lions (8-8) returned to practice outdoors on Wednesday in wintry, 29-degree conditions in preparation for Chicago's Soldier Field. Players and coaches were upbeat around the building as they'll try to finish on a high note despite falling short of expectations.
"Just to go out there and always play to win," Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs told ESPN. "Me personally, I don't want to go out bad. So, I'm going to play my hardest for the team and whatever it takes to win, win. That's where I'm at right now."
A loss to the Bears would mark Detroit's first losing season since going 3-13-1 during Campbell's first head coaching season in 2021. The Lions have also made back-to-back playoff appearances, even getting to the NFC championship game against San Francisco in 2023.
"Over the past couple years, while this season hasn't been what we wanted it to be, winning has become the standard and we have an opportunity to finish with a winning record," Lions OL Taylor Decker said. "And while that's a s---ty consolation prize, that's all we can control as far as what's in front of us. So, that's why it's important."
Although the upcoming Lions-Bears game is meaningless, regarding Detroit's overall standing, the Lions are committed to doing whatever it takes to come out of Chicago with a victory.
The Bears have dropped three straight contests to the Lions, including a 52-21 loss at Detroit in Week 2, as they'll try to extend that success.
"It's about respect. Not only respect for yourself within your own team, but respect around the league," Lions QB Jared Goff said. "We want to go out there and put something good on tape and gain a little bit of respect back from probably some of the loss of respect we've earned this year."
