The Detroit Lions’ 2025 season will officially wrap up Sunday afternoon when they face their longtime rival, the Chicago Bears, in a Week 18 matchup at Soldier Field. While the Bears are preparing for a postseason run, the Lions are left playing out the string.
No matter how the finale unfolds, Detroit knows the outcome won’t change the bigger picture. Chicago has already secured a playoff spot, while the Lions’ grip on the NFC North has slipped away. Adding salt to the wound is the fact that the Bears are now coached by former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
Meanwhile, Detroit’s offensive transition struggled, as Johnson’s successor, John Morton, lost play-calling responsibilities midway through the season following a Week 10 decision by head coach Dan Campbell.
When asked to reflect on what went wrong during the 2025 season, Campbell didn’t sugarcoat his assessment.
Campbell Identifies Detroit’s Biggest Shortcoming in 2025
Campbell pointed directly to the running game as a major issue that plagued the Lions throughout the year and remains a concern heading into the finale and the offseason.
“It’s everything,” Campbell said when discussing Detroit’s inability to establish consistent production on the ground.
He went on to suggest that changes could be coming once he has time to fully evaluate the season as a whole.
“There are a lot of factors involved,” Campbell explained. “Do I have some thoughts right now? Sure. But I need to step back and really think through it all.
What’s clear is that some form of change is probably coming. It may be small, but something will be different.”
Morton, who will remain with the team through the final game, echoed similar sentiments, noting that the run game had been a focus all season—even if results didn’t reflect that effort.
“We emphasize it every week,” Morton said. “We want to run the ball. But sometimes you fall behind and have to throw, sometimes the looks aren’t there, and sometimes execution just isn’t good enough.”
“It’s not one thing,” he added. “Everyone shares responsibility.”
After fielding one of the league’s most effective rushing units in 2024, Detroit’s run game regressed dramatically in 2025, finishing among the NFL’s lowest-ranked groups.
Offensive Line Issues Also Played a Major Role
Campbell also highlighted the offensive line as another critical area that contributed to the team’s struggles.
Injuries across the unit took a toll throughout the season, and the loss of longtime anchor Frank Ragnow—who retired after a decorated career that included four Pro Bowl selections—only made matters worse.
Campbell said improving the offensive line will be a priority moving forward.
“I’d probably begin with the offensive line,” he said. “We just need a little more. A little improvement. Better cohesion, better communication—just tightening things up.”
With one game remaining, Detroit’s offensive line ranks near the bottom of the league, sitting 20th in run-block win rate and 31st in pass-block win rate. Over 16 games, the unit has surrendered 36 sacks, a statistic that reflects the broader issues the Lions faced throughout a disappointing season.
