Detroit Lions Final Score: What Really Happened in the Wild Season Finale

The Detroit Lions just wrapped up their 2025-2026 regular season in a way that had basically every fan in Michigan reaching for their heart medication. If you're looking for the quick answer, here it is. The final score was Detroit Lions 19, Chicago Bears 16. It happened on January 4, 2026, at a frigid Soldier Field.

Honestly, this game was a total roller coaster. For three quarters, it looked like the Lions were going to coast to an easy win. They were up 16-0. Then, because they're the Lions, things got weird. Caleb Williams and the Bears woke up and dropped 16 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. It was 16-16 with just over five minutes left, and the momentum felt like it had completely evaporated for Detroit.

How the Lions Pulled Off the 19-16 Victory

Jake Bates is the name you’re going to hear a lot this week. The kid has ice in his veins. He accounted for 13 of the Lions' 19 points. Think about that. He hit four field goals, including the 42-yard game-winner as time expired.

The game ended on a 3rd-and-8 play where Bates just hammered it through the uprights. It wasn’t just a win; it was a statement. Even though the Lions finished the season 9-8 and missed out on a playoff spot—thanks to the Minnesota Vikings winning their tiebreaker—they didn't go down without a fight.

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The Breakdown of the Scoring

It's kinda wild when you look at how the points actually hit the board.

• First Quarter: Bates opened things up with a 34-yarder. 3-0.
• Second Quarter: Another Bates field goal (30 yards) followed by a 15-yard touchdown pass from Jared Goff to Jahmyr Gibbs. 13-0 at the half.
• Third Quarter: Bates again from 25 yards. 16-0.
• Fourth Quarter: The collapse and the comeback. Chicago scores twice with two-point conversions to tie it at 16.
• Final Seconds: Bates from 42 yards. Final score: 19-16.

Jared Goff and the Offense: By the Numbers

Jared Goff was actually really solid despite the fourth-quarter lull. He went 27-of-42 for 331 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He was moving the ball well all day. Amon-Ra St. Brown was his usual self, hauling in 11 catches for 139 yards.

Jahmyr Gibbs was the engine on the ground. He put up 113 total yards and caught that lone touchdown. The Lions outgained the Bears 433 to 270 in total yardage. Usually, when you outgain a team by nearly 200 yards, you don't find yourself in a tie game with two minutes left, but that's just NFC North football for you.

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Why This Final Score Matters for the 2026 Offseason

So, the Lions finished 9-8. It's a winning record, but in a division where the Bears went 11-6 and the Vikings also finished 9-8 (but with better tiebreakers), Detroit is the odd man out this January.

Missing the playoffs after such a gutsy win feels like a gut punch. However, there are some major silver linings. Aidan Hutchinson finished the year with 14.5 sacks, tying for the second-most in a single season in franchise history. The defense, which has been a question mark all year, actually held Caleb Williams in check for most of the afternoon.

What's next? The front office has some huge decisions. David Montgomery’s name is already floating around in trade rumors as Brad Holmes looks to tweak the roster for 2026. The Lions have a young core, a kicker who doesn't miss when it matters, and an offense that can put up 400+ yards on a division champ.

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If you're tracking the "Final Score" of the Lions' season as a whole, it's a "B." They stayed competitive, finished over .500, and ended the year by ruining a rival's afternoon.

For the most accurate look at the team's upcoming draft position and free agency targets, you’ll want to keep an eye on the official NFL scouting combine reports starting in February. The Lions are currently projected to pick in the middle of the first round, where they’ll likely be looking for secondary help to prevent those fourth-quarter heart attacks next season.