Ben Johnson’s first season delivers instantly as the Bears clinch a playoff berth after Lions stumble. DH

Aaron Rodgers finally does the Chicago Bears a favor, and Ben Johnson’s team is officially in the playoffs.

After yet another wild ending to one of the craziest weeks in NFL history, Johnson’s old team – the Detroit Lions – are all but out of the postseason while the Bears are in.

Just 24 hours after the Bears’ miraculous overtime win over the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field – and only a couple of days removed from the Seattle Seahawks’ unfathomable rally to beat the Los Angeles Rams – things got wonky late in Sunday afternoon’s Steelers-Lions game at Ford Field.

The Steelers led 29-17 with 5:00 remaining, seemingly safe since Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin was 103-0-1 when leading by 12+ points in the fourth quarter. But here came the Lions.

They got a litany of good breaks, ranging from a short missed field goal by the Steelers to consecutive penalties on Pittsburgh resulting in 30 yards on their final drive. Down 29-24, they drove to a 1st-and-goal at the Steelers’ 1-yard line with :25 remaining.

That’s when things went off the rails and – ultimately – in favor of the Bears. Finally.

An apparent game-winning touchdown catch by Lions’ receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was negated by a penalty for offensive pass interference.

Then Lions’ receiver Isaac TeSlaa had both hands on the ball but failed to make a leaping catch in the end zone. Then one of the wackiest, most dramatic plays of the season.

St. Brown caught a pass at the 1, but was tackled short of the goal line as time expired. But in a late, desperate move, he lateraled the ball to quarterback Jared Goff who ran and dove into the end zone, sending Lions fans into a frenzy.

But with flags all over the field, after a long delay referee Carl Cheffers announced that St. Brown committed offensive pass interference for clearly shoving off on Steelers’ safety Jalen Ramsey.

Announced Cheffers, “The game is over.” He might as well have said, “The Bears are in the playoffs.”

From a 2024 season that included a 10-game losing streak and a 5-12 record, to making the postseason in Johnson’s first season in Chicago.

The 11-4 Bears, who lead the NFC North and are alive for the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, last made the playoffs in 2020 and last won their division in 2010.

The 8-7 Lions can only make the playoffs with two wins and two losses by the Packers. The Bears host Detroit in Week 18.