Dan Campbell labels game against Ben Johnson's Bears as must-win: 'We're going to win this game. We have to'

Campbell faces off against his former offensive coordinator

The Detroit Lions begin somewhat of a new era in 2025, as coach Dan Campbell lost both offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn this offseason. Both coordinators were considered two of the top assistants in the NFL, and the Lions certainly missed them in Week 1.

The Green Bay Packers topped the Lions, 27-13, and Detroit looked like an entirely different team. This loss snapped a streak of 15 straight games scoring at least 20 points, and the 3.8 yards per play the offense averaged marked the fewest in a game for Detroit since 2021. 

Up next for the Lions, coincidentally, is the former architect of their offense in Johnson, who now leads the rival Chicago Bears. Campbell does not want to fall to 0-2 in this home opener, which is why he views this game against his former assistant as a must-win.  

"Ben's my friend. He's always going to be my friend. But nothing about that's going to change," Campbell said of facing Johnson, according to The Detroit News. "We're going in, getting ready to play Chicago. We're going to win this game. We have to."

According to CBS Sports Research, only 25.1% of teams that start 0-1 reach the postseason dating back to 1990. Teams that fall to 0-2 have made the playoffs just 12.2% of the time.

Johnson's Bears come off an embarrassing loss of their own, as they blew a 17-6 fourth-quarter lead at home to the Minnesota Vikings. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy scored three total touchdowns in the fourth quarter of his very first NFL start, while Johnson made several coaching errors down the stretch which hurt his team. 

Campbell and Johnson were an incredible tandem that dominated the NFL over the past couple seasons, but it remains to be seen if they can find success without each other. Sunday marks the first time the two coaches will face off on opposite sidelines.