Sunday’s 2025 Detroit Lions season finale is likely to be one of the least-watched games in the local Detroit market in several years. In the midst of a three-game skid, the Lions are not just tough to watch right
now, they’re also essentially irrelevant—out of the playoff race and with nothing to play for but pride. If you’re not going to watch on Sunday, I certainly wouldn’t blame you.
But if you clicked on this article, you’re at least curious enough as to why anyone would want to watch the Lions take on the Chicago Bears in Week 18. So here are some reasons.
Signs of hope from Lions’ future interior offensive line
The Lions’ run game was a massive disappointment this season, and Dan Campbell knows it. The offensive line figures to see some serious changes in 2026, but there’s a good chance that both Tate Ratledge and Christian Mahogany will hold starting roles for the foreseeable future.
Against a Bears run defense that ranks near the bottom of the league in just about every statistical category, it would certainly be nice to see the duo combine with center Graham Glasgow to plow out some rushing lanes for Detroit’s talented backfield. They’ll have to do so without Penei Sewell—the best run-blocking tackle in football—but any sign of progress would be encouraging.
Tyleik Williams’ increased role
With Alim McNeill ruled out for Sunday, it could lead to an increased role for Lions first-round rookie Tyleik Williams. After McNeill’s return from injury this season, Williams saw his average snaps go from 30.5 per game to 24.3. So it stands to reason Williams will get more playing time.
It won’t be an easy task for Williams and company, as the Bears bring one of the best running games in football. But I won’t be looking (or expecting) the Lions to completely shut down D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai. Instead, I’m just looking for individual solid play from Williams. Can he hold his ground against a tough Bears front? Has he progressed in his pass rush?
With DJ Reader on an expiring contract, Williams will likely enter Year 2 as a presumed starter, so any signs of rookie development will be welcomed in the finale.
Malcolm Rodriguez’s audition
Alex Anzalone has been declared out for this game, and after some contractual disputes to start the year, it’s reasonable to think the veteran linebacker has played his final game as a Detroit Lion.
Malcolm Rodriguez is also on an expiring contract, but given he’s much younger than Anzalone (31 vs. 26) and will almost certainly come much cheaper on a new contract, it’s possible the Lions could view Rodriguez as Anzalone’s successor.
Coming off a torn ACL last year, Rodriguez hasn’t played much at all on defense this season: just 32 total snaps. But having logged well over 1,000 defensive snaps over his first four years, we’ve seen some promise from the 2022 sixth-round pick. That said, it’s hard to know if Rodriguez is capable of being a full-time starter. A strong game against an impressive Bears offense would bolster his resumé before hitting free agency.
Isaac TeSlaa continues to grow
This week, nearly every coach who stepped in front of the lectern had some glowing things to say about Lions rookie receiver Isaac TeSlaa.
Dan Campbell:
“I would say he’s probably grown more than anybody has throughout the year, as far as our young guys. He’s grown the most. Just – and what you love about him is why he’s here. Of course he’s got ability, but he’s smart, he’s instinctive, he’s tough, he’s a finisher, he’s resilient. Every week we’ve been able to put more and more on him.”
Offensive coordinator John Morton
“Run and pass, he can do it all. He’s tough, he’s physical, he’s smart. Man, he can catch. I mean I just – I love the hands. I love the hands. You could put the ball anywhere, you saw it last week when he caught that touchdown. I mean he’s gotten a lot of touchdowns. I mean compared to receptions and touchdowns, that’s pretty good. But he’s – when you’ve got a guy like that who can catch and he’s a rookie and like I said, he’s just blossomed every single week and in the run game.”
WR coach Scottie Montgomery
“He has grown so much in this season, so I’ve got to give him a lot of credit on pad level, ability to use his hands, shed, pushing back vertical, separating. All the things that I thought would be a little bit harder for him to come to him is (now) coming pretty easily.”
In TeSlaa’s first 11 games, he saw just nine targets come his way. With a little more built-in trust with Jared Goff, he’s received 17 targets in his last five games. So let’s see that chemistry with Goff and overall development shine one more time in Chicago.
Because it’s Lions football, dangit
I always say Lions football is better than no football, no matter how low the stakes or how bad the games. It will be eight months until the Lions play a regular season football game, and the wait is the worst part of the year. This season didn’t go as we wanted, but Detroit still has a ton of talent that is a joy to watch every week. Be it Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Aidan Hutchinson, Jack Campbell, or even Jack Fox, we are blessed with a very talented roster. It’s easy to lose sight of all the talent when the wins aren’t coming at the rate they used to, but we should still acknowledge how lucky we are right now, when this team sported only one superstar at a time for the past five or six decades.
You may be frustrated with the team now, but you’re going to miss them when we’re five months deep into the offseason.
