The Chicago Bears can’t claim the No. 1 seed in the NFC after losing 42-38 to the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday Night Football.

But there is still plenty on the line for head coach Ben Johnson’s team.

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A win over the Detroit Lions in the regular-season finale at Soldier Field will earn the Bears the No. 2 seed, and at worst, the Bears will finish as the No. 3 seed as they prepare for the playoffs.

[READ: Ben Johnson, Caleb Williams share what happened on Bears’ final play vs. 49ers]

With the Bears having a shot to earn the NFC’s No. 2 seed, Johnson had a direct message about his approach against his former team.

“Yeah, we’re playing to win this week,” Johnson said.

Johnson’s mentality was similar to what Lions head coach Dan Dampbell had to say on Monday when he spoke to local reporters.

“Look, you can always find a lot out with one to go, and no, we’re not playing for the playoffs, but there are still things we can find out,” Campbell said. “And I expect the guys that we have here to give it what they got one more time. That’s the expectation.”

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Campbell’s response shouldn’t be a surprise to anybody, but the Lions are dealing with a lot of injuries as they approach the final week of the regular season. Pro Bowl wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown injured his knee late in the game against the Minnesota Vikings on Christmas Day.

But Campbell reiterated that if his players are healthy enough to play, they will on Sunday at Soldier Field.

The last time these two teams played, the Lions blew out the Bears, 52-21, at Ford Field in Week 2. After that 31-point road loss, the Bears went on a series of winning streaks and eventually stacked enough victories to claim their first NFC North title since 2018. The Baltimore Ravens helped the Bears clinch the North when they defeated the Green Bay Packers, 41-24, at Lambeau Field last Saturday.

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If the Bears defeat the Lions on Sunday, Johnson will finish 3-3 against NFC North opponents to close out his first year as the Bears’ head coach.

The post Ben Johnson clearly states Bears’ approach vs Lions in NFL Week 18 game appeared first on Marquee Sports Network – Home of the Cubs, Bears, Red Stars and Sky.