If you just looked at the box score from January 4, you'd think Detroit fans were celebrating. They weren't. Honestly, the Detroit Lions last game score of 19-16 against the Chicago Bears is one of the weirdest "wins" in recent franchise history.
It was a cold Sunday at Soldier Field. The Lions walked off the turf with a victory, thanks to a 42-yard heater from kicker Jake Bates as the clock hit zero. But the vibe in the locker room? It was heavy. Even though they beat the division-winning Bears, the Lions were already eliminated from the playoffs.
They finished 9-8. A winning record, sure. But for a team that started the year with Super Bowl aspirations, it felt like a consolation prize nobody really wanted to pick up.
What Really Happened With the Detroit Lions Last Game Score
The game was a tale of two halves that basically summed up Detroit’s entire 2025 season. For three quarters, the Lions looked like world-beaters. They jumped out to a 16-0 lead. Jared Goff was surgical, finishing the day with 331 passing yards. Jahmyr Gibbs was doing Gibbs things—slashing through the line for 113 total yards and a score.
Then, the fourth quarter happened.
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Chicago’s Caleb Williams woke up and started carving the secondary. The Bears wiped out that 16-point deficit in a blink. It looked like Detroit was going to choke away another one, just like they did during that brutal three-game skid in December. But Goff led a final drive from his own 37-yard line, setting up Bates for the game-winner.
"It feels good to kind of get back to who we are and see it in live-speed reality," Goff said after the game.
Maybe. But Dan Campbell wasn’t in a mood to sugarcoat the season. He gave himself a "freakin' F" for the year. That’s the reality of Detroit football right now; the standards have changed. A 9-8 record and a season-ending win over a rival used to be a parade-worthy event in this city. Now? It's a disappointment.
The Stats That Matter (and the Ones That Hurt)
If you’re looking for why the Lions are sitting at home right now, look at the "complementary football" aspect—or the lack of it. Amon-Ra St. Brown, who caught 117 balls this year for 1,401 yards, was blunt about it. He said the team simply didn't deserve to be in the playoffs.
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- Jared Goff: 27-of-42 for 331 yards and 1 TD in the finale.
- Jahmyr Gibbs: 113 total yards. He ended the season with over 1,800 yards from scrimmage.
- Jake Bates: 4-for-4 on field goals, including the 42-yard walk-off.
- The Defense: Allowed 16 unanswered points in the final frame.
The 2025 Lions were a statistical juggernaut in some areas. Penei Sewell finished as PFF’s top-rated tackle with a staggering 95.2 grade. Aidan Hutchinson nearly broke the team sack record with 14.5. Yet, they went 2-5 against teams that actually made the postseason. That's the gap. You can't be a contender if you only bully the bottom-feeders.
The Injury Bug Bit Hard
We can't talk about the Detroit Lions last game score without mentioning who wasn't on the field. Sam LaPorta’s back surgery mid-season was a massive blow. The offense lost its security blanket. Then you have Brian Branch’s Achilles tear. Those aren't just "next man up" injuries; those are identity-shifting losses.
By the time they got to Chicago for Week 18, the offensive line was held together by tape and grit. Frank Ragnow’s retirement earlier in the year created a void at center that the team never truly filled. It showed. Goff was sacked 39 times this year, and while that’s not an astronomical number, the timing of those sacks often killed crucial drives in December.
What Most People Get Wrong About the 9-8 Finish
There is a narrative floating around that the Lions "regressed" because the "Dan Campbell magic" wore off. That’s lazy.
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The truth is more nuanced. The NFC North became a gauntlet. The Bears found their franchise QB. The Vikings swept the Lions. Detroit actually won 15 games the year prior, which set a bar that was almost impossible to maintain without perfect health.
Missing the playoffs doesn't mean the window is closed. It means the floor has been raised. In the past, a "down year" for Detroit was 3-14. Now, a down year is a winning record and a road win over the division champs to cap off the season.
Looking Toward 2026
The draft is where the focus shifts now. Detroit is sitting with the No. 17 overall pick. Most experts expect Brad Holmes to look at the offensive line or the secondary. They need depth. They need guys who can play "Campbell football" for 60 full minutes, not just 45.
The schedule for next year is already locked in, too. Because they finished fourth in the North, they’ll catch a bit of a break with games against the fourth-place finishers in the AFC South, NFC East, and NFC West. That means matchups with Tennessee, the Giants, and Arizona are on the horizon.
Actionable Next Steps for Lions Fans
If you're still stinging from the season ending early, here is how to track the recovery:
- Watch the O-Line Developments: Taylor Decker is weighing retirement. If he leaves, the Lions have a massive hole at left tackle that must be addressed in free agency or the first round of the draft.
- Monitor the Coordinator Carousel: Retaining or replacing offensive coordinator John Morton is priority number one. Campbell took over play-calling late in the year, and they need to settle on a permanent vision for 2026.
- Check Rehab Reports: Keep an eye on Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch. Their availability for training camp will dictate how aggressive the Lions are in the early months of the new league year.
The Detroit Lions last game score was a win on paper, but a wake-up call in reality. This team is too talented to be watching the Divisional Round from the couch. Expect a very loud offseason in Allen Park.