When the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions meet in Week 18, one team will have something to play for while the other won't.
The Bears have already punched their ticket to the postseason and clinched the NFC North. Now, Chicago is jockeying for playoff positioning, with the team looking to lock up the No. 2 seed in the conference.
If Chicago loses to the Lions on Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles will have a chance to jump the Bears for the No. 2 spot in the NFC. If the Eagles win in that scenario, the Bears will fall to No. 3.
Meanwhile, the Lions have zero to play for after they were shockingly eliminated from postseason contention with a loss to the Minnesota Vikings last week.
That has led many to wonder if the Lions will even play their starters in what is ultimately a meaningless Week 18 game.
Will Bears face Lions starters in Week 18?
When asked about who will play during the week, Lions head coach Dan Campbell made it clear that he expected the starters to go.
“We’re not playing for the playoffs, but there are still things we can find out,” he said, according to the Detroit Free Press. “And I expect the guys that we have here to give it what they’ve got one more time. That’s the expectation.”
Quarterback Jared Goff also made it quite clear he would like to play.
“It doesn’t matter what our record is, what the situation may be,” Goff said. “We want to go out there and put something good on tape, gain a little bit of respect back from probably some of the loss of respect we’ve earned this year.”
The Lions will still be missing several key players, as linebacker Alex Anzalone, defensive lineman Alim McNeill and right tackle Penei Sewell are all out.
Detroit also has tight end Sam LaPorta, cornerback Terrion Arnold and safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph on injured reserve.
Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is questionable, but Campbell said during the week that he was trending in the right direction, so the expectation is he will play.
The Bears and Lions will kick off from Soldier Field at 4:25 p.m. ET.
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