Tag: Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears

Lions dominate the 4th quarter in epic comeback win over the Bears

The Lions dominate the 4th quarter in an epic comeback win over the Bears

The Detroit Lions captured the first road win in the Dan Campbell coaching era with an epic comeback win over the Bears in Chicago. Detroit turned a 24-10 deficit to start the fourth quarter into a 31-30 road win in Week 10.

A fast-paced game saw the Lions and Bears trade 10 points early. Chicago came out of the halftime break on fire, scoring twice thanks to two Justin Fields-to-Cole Kmet touchdown passes, both on egregious defensive lapses by the Lions.

The fourth quarter broke the game out of the mold. The Lions scored three touchdowns, including a pick-six by CB Jeff Okudah that tied the game at 24. Jamaal Williams cashed in a very impressive eight-play, 91-yard scoring drive by Detroit to seize a 31-30 lead just before the two-minute warning.

It set up a scenario everyone in Lions land knows all too well. The Bears and Fields had time to move down the field and set up the game-winning field goal, probably as time expires and after some huge third-down conversion.

Not today.

Aidan Hutchinson sacked Fields on 3rd-and-15, a clean win for the rookie defensive end. Fields and the Bears offense had one more shot, but a combination of Julian Okwara and Alex Anzalone executed a perfect contain rush and sacked Fields once again on fourth down.

Williams salted away the game with two strong runs, and the Lions escaped with an improbably awesome road win. Detroit improves to 3-6 with the win, dropping the Bears to 3-7.

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Lions best players didn’t play well in loss to Bears

It was not a good game for a lot of the top talents on the Lions

The 2021 Detroit Lions are not a talented roster relative to much of the rest of the NFL. It was an expected development for a team starting over after a disastrous series of choices from the prior regime that left the cupboard bare in way too many spots to fill in one offseason. For these Lions to win, they need their best players to perform at their best.

That did not happen in the Week 4 loss to the Chicago Bears. None of the top talents on the team played like it, and it spoiled any chance for Dan Campbell’s team to pull out its first victory.

Starting with the offense, it was a rough day for the top Lions. Center Frank Ragnow, arguably the best center in the NFL, fired off a snap too early that resulted in a red zone turnover. He also left injured on the play and did not return.

Running back D’Andre Swift had a terrible performance running the ball. The slippery, strong runner we’ve come to expect in No. 32 was nowhere to be found in Soldier Field. Swift had poor vision and went down on contact he normally runs through on his way to just 16 yards on eight carries. Tight end T.J. Hockenson managed just four catches on eight targets for 42 yards. The Bears focused on taking him away. Hockenson didn’t play poorly but the Lions needed more from their top offensive weapon.

Quarterback Jared Goff was no small part of the problem for Hockenson. It’s hard to consider Goff one of the top talents on the offense after his uninspiring play the last two weeks, but unfortunately, he plays the most important position. He certainly didn’t play like someone who doesn’t need to be replaced in Chicago. Goff didn’t get much help from first-round rookie Penei Sewell, either. The big left tackle struggled through his worst game of the season against a talented Bears defensive front.

On defense, the Lions were already thin on impact talents before Romeo Okwara left the game early with an apparent Achilles injury. Veterans Michael Brockers, Nick Williams and Alex Anzalone, players the precocious defense needs to set the tone and step up, were largely invisible in Chicago.

There were some more lightly regarded players who excelled. Kalif Raymond and Quintez Cephus both played great games at wide receiver. Ragnow’s replacement at center, Evan Brown, was the team’s most reliable lineman in the second half. Rookie nose tackle Alim McNeill started slow but then really stepped up. Outside LB Austin Bryant had some positive moments in place of Romeo Okwara and injured Trey Flowers, who did not play. But the “stars” did not shine.

It’s hard enough for a lesser-talented team to win in the NFL. When the top players don’t excel, it’s darn near impossible. The Lions learned that the hard way in Week 4 in Chicago.

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Lions flop in Chicago, fall to 0-4 on the season

The Detroit Lions payed their worst game of the season in a Week 4 loss in Chicago

The Detroit Lions not only had a chance to notch their first win of the season, but a victory in Chicago would have catapulted the team into second place in the NFC North. Alas, the Lions played their worst all-around game of the young season in a 24-14 loss to the division-rival Bears.

This is not a game the Lions, from head coach Dan Campbell on down, will be proud of. Nor should they be. Detroit made far too many mistakes to merit any sort of pride in its performance. To borrow from one of Campbell’s favorite expressions, his Lions fired way too many bullets into their own feet.

It’s hard to pinpoint which shot to the paw was the worst for the Lions. There are so many candidates:

  • The errant snap by Frank Ragnow that bounced directly off QB Jared Goff into the hands of Bears DT Bilal Nichols that ended the Lions first drive.
  • The blown coverage between CB Bobby Price and S Will Harris that led to a 64-yard gain by the Bears. Oh yeah, Romeo Okwara left the game with an injury on the play.
  • The tipped Goff pass on 4th-and-5 inside the Bears 10-yard line that ended the Lions second drive.
  • The brutal series of missed tackles and poor angles by the Lions defense on the Bears’ ensuing touchdown drive.
  • The strip sack by Bears OLB Khalil Mack that ended the Lions third offensive drive, another empty red zone trip. That play came just after a well-protected Goff missed a wide-open Kalif Raymond for an easy TD throw your local 8th-grader could complete.
  • More blown coverages in Chicago’s first drive of the second half, an efficient TD drive that effectively put the game out of reach.
  • This final 4th-down play:

It’s depressing to recall all the mistakes the Lions made throughout the game, and the above is far from a complete list of the important ones, too. Sure, there were indeed some positive plays. Kalif Raymond and Quintez Cephus both played quite well at wide receiver. The defense did tighten later in the game and found a bit of a pass rush. The special teams played well all-around. But it was far too many plays in the negative side of the ledger for the Lions in this one.

It’s a blown opportunity. A win in Chicago would have lifted the Lions to 1-3, the same record as the Bears and the Vikings. It would have been a divisional road win, giving the Lions the tiebreaker and a shot in Minnesota at the Vikings next week. Instead, the Lions remain winless and mired in last place and they have only themselves to blame.

Lions inactives for Week 4 include two new additions to the roster

The Detroit Lions inactive player list for Week 4 includes two new additions to the roster

The Detroit Lions released their inactive player list for the Week 4 matchup in Chicago against the Bears. There weren’t any surprises on the sheet.

Outside LB Trey Flowers was ruled out of the game on Friday in the final injury report. Flowers is out for a second straight week with injuries to his knee and shoulder. All three players who were listed as questionable–DE Michael Brockers, OLB Romeo Okwara and RB D’Andre Swift–are active for Sunday’s game in Soldier Field.

The Lions inactives:

  • DE Eric Banks
  • DE Jashon Cornell
  • OLB Trey Flowers
  • RB Jermar Jefferson
  • WR Tom Kennedy

Banks and Cornell both joined the team this week, with Cornell returning from his 3-game NFL suspension.

Lions vs Bears: Final injury report for Week 4

Detroit Lions vs Chicago Bears: Final injury report for the Week 4 matchup in the NFC North

The Detroit Lions enter the Week 4 matchup in Chicago with the NFC North rival Bears in relatively healthy condition. Only one player, starting outside linebacker Trey Flowers, has been ruled out for Detroit.

Flowers also missed Week 3 with the combination of a shoulder and knee injuries. He did not practice all week and his absence in Chicago was widely expected.

Head coach Dan Campbell was upbeat about replacing Flowers and understanding that the long-term of the veteran is more important than one single game.

“I think, to be honest with you, we’re in a pretty good place just depth-wise and it’s more – I just feel like if we are – this is the right thing for Trey, too, which in turn is also the right thing for us long-term,” Campbell said Friday. “I think if we can get him back to where he’s feeling really good, I think in the long run, that’s going to be a good thing for him and for us.”

Three Lions players are officially questionable:

  • DE Michael Brockers (shoulder)
  • OLB Romeo Okwara (shoulder)
  • RB D’Andre Swift (groin)

All three were limited participants in practices all week. Swift has been questionable for every game but has not been held back by the lingering groin issue.

The Bears have just one player ruled out, LB Joel Iyiegbuniwe. Starting safety Tashaun Gipson is doubtful, while top pass rusher Khalil Mack is among the questionable.

Lions vs. Bears: 3 film observations on Chicago and how Detroit can use them to win in Week 4

Here are a few areas of emphasis for Dan Campbell and the Lions to focus upon for the Week 4 matchup with the Bears in Chicago.

The 0-3 Detroit Lions head to Chicago in Week 4 to try and break into the win column. The 1-2 Bears offer some legit potential for Dan Campbell’s Lions to go and notch that first victory of the 2021 season.

I reviewed the Bears’ last two games, with a special emphasis on their Week 3 humiliation at the hands of the Cleveland Browns, to see where the Lions might have some advantages. And even the most pessimistic Lions fan will find some legit paths to victory for Detroit in this matchup, based on how the Bears have played and are currently trending.

Here are a few areas of emphasis for Campbell and the Lions to focus upon for the Week 4 matchup with the Bears in Chicago.

4 things I learned from the Lions Week 13 film review

On Matthew Stafford’s brilliance, bad Lions run defense, OL play and more

The Lions knocked off the Chicago Bears in a thrilling comeback victory in Week 13. Detroit balled out for interim coach Darrell Bevell in upsetting the division rivals and finally beating Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky, the most celebrated foil of now-fired coach Matt Patricia.

There was a lot to discover from the all-22 coach’s film of the game. After poring over the coach’s film and another viewing of the broadcast feed, here are a few things I picked up on the Lions.

Lions Week 13 pivotal play of the game: Romeo Okwara strips win away from the Bears

The Detroit Lions steal one from the Chicago Bears winning 34-30 on the help of this week’s pivotal play from Romero Okwara.

The Detroit Lions managed to claw their way back and beat the Chicago Bears 34-30 for their first win against their division foe in five games and first in the post-Matt Patricia era.

The Lions looked like a completely different team than they had in quite some time, with the energy each player brought on and off the field. Interim coach Darrel Bevell wanted the players with a sense of purpose while having fun, and that is exactly what they brought to the table today even though they were playing behind the entire game.

Bevell opened the playbook this week and allowed Stafford to do what he does best; sling the ball down the field. He attempted eight passes for 20+ yards even though he only completed three of those passes, two of them went for touchdowns — and that was without two of his main weapons, Kenny Golladay and D’Andre Swift.

Even though the defense looked sluggish the first half with missed tackles and porous run defense, they buckled down when the game was on the line and came up big when it absolutely was a must. After allowing 23 points in the first half, they locked up the Bears and only gave up seven points for the rest of the game.

The Setup

In the fourth quarter, after giving up a long drive led to a touchdown to put the Bears up 30-20, Stafford then threw an ill-timed interception that stalled the drive. It did not look good for the Lions’ chances to break the Bears’ curse.

The defense managed to dig deep and force a 3-and-out on the next two Bears’ drives, giving the offense a chance to mount a comeback. The Lions finally got back on the scoreboard, marching 96 yards down the field on a Marvin Jones touchdown: 30-27.

With the Lions still down by three, they needed to come up with another stop. Instead, they got something better:

Romeo Okwara worked his way around Germain Ifedi enough to reach out with his freakishly long arms to rip the ball away from Mitchell Trubisky — and the Lions recovered.

With the excellent field position, the Lions went back to Adrian Peterson and he scored his second touchdown of the game, giving the Lions their first of this game: 34-30.

With plenty of time still left on the clock, the Bears were on the move to mount a comeback, and once again, the Lions’ defense was able to come up big. This time it was Kevin Strong’s turn, as he stonewalled David Montgomery on a fourth-down, securing the Lions victory.

Emotions are high for everyone, especially after seeing this team come out lifeless the last two weeks. The energy and tempo have been missing from this team for quite some time, and for once, the players looked to be enjoying themselves.

The new Bevell regime has started strong, and they will look to continue this high ride next week when they face off against another division nemesis, the Green Bay Packers. There are a few areas they need to clean up to get ready for that matchup but they need to take this time and celebrate this high-flying victory.

Experts give slim edge to the Bears over the Lions in Week 13

The Detroit Lions face off against the Chicago Bears in hopes of breaking their losing streak, but experts believe the home team prevails

The Detroit Lions (4-7) are on the road this week, hoping to notch out their first win in the post-Matt Patricia era, facing off against their division rival, the Chicago Bears (5-6) in Week 13.

The Bears have come out victorious in the last five games against the Lions, and the most recent being the opening game of the 2020 season. In that game, the Bears scored 21 unanswered points in a comeback win and D’Andre Swift had his welcome to the NFL moment.

Most of the time, people could have an idea of what to anticipate for a particular game, but for the Lions this week, it is full of unknowns. Will the team rally behind Bevell? Will we see a different sense of offensive tempo? Will the defense bring more pressure? The list goes on and on, but for this reason, this makes for an interesting game because we are not sure what is going to happen.

With Mitchell Trubisky’s history against the Lions, that usually brings the Bears a lot of hope, but the unknown element creeps up again. Was his success more due to Patricia’s defensive style, or was he bringing a new level against the Lions? With Cory Undlin running the defense now, it will be interesting to see what he brings to contain the Lion killer.

With the Lions already cleaning house, the Bears on the cusp of it, and the sheer amount of unknowns, experts are almost evenly split this week, but according to NFL Pickwatch, 56-percent of the experts give a slight edge to the home team.

Division games are difficult to predict because of the extra effort players bring, but the number of changes to the Lions, combined with the Bears suffering from a five-game losing streak, makes this game a hard one to predict.

If the Lions can follow the key concepts laid out in this week’s Honolulu Blueprint, they can overcome the recent coaching changes and break this losing streak against the Bears.

Behind Enemy Lines: Breaking down the Chicago matchup with Bears Wire

Behind Enemy Lines: Breaking down the matchup with Chicago with Bears Wire

It’s Lions vs. Bears week, and throwing in a coaching change in Detroit and an ongoing quarterback controversy in Chicago makes it an interesting matchup despite the poor performances of late from both teams.

I asked Alyssa Barbieri of Bears Wire a few questions about the Bears, their own coaching dilemma, how Chicago views Detroit and much more.

Thanks to Barbieri, who always gives down-to-earth and informative answers about the Bears.

How long is Mitchell Trubisky’s leash after another dismal performance?

It doesn’t matter who’s the quarterback at this point for the Bears, this offense is just broken. Any sort of progression that Trubisky appeared to have made earlier this season – before being benched by Matt Nagy for a poor first half against the Falcons – that’s gone, as evidenced by Sunday night. With that said, Trubisky still gives the offense the best chance to succeed, mostly because Foles is a sitting duck behind a porous offensive line. It hasn’t helped Foles has made some ill-advised decisions as well.

The one thing Trubisky has going for him is that he’s been successful against the Lions during his career, which the Bears could certainly use as they look for their first win in nearly a month and a half.

What’s the Chicago perception of the Lions firing Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia?

Bears fans are certainly going to be sad to see them go, especially considering Patricia has helped Trubisky look like a competent quarterback whenever he plays the Lions. But at the same time, it’s hard to ignore potential parallels between the two situations. The Lions waited too long to finally cut the cord while the Bears are potentially in the midst of doing the same thing if they don’t cut ties with Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy at the end of the season.

The defense struggled against the Packers, notably against the run. Was that just a bad day/matchup, or has the Bears’ vaunted defense fallen off?

This Bears defense has carried the team all season, and they’ve done it despite boasting one of the worst offenses in the league. Chicago was without perhaps their most important player in Hicks on Sunday, which, coupled with the absence of Eddie Goldman for the season, was disastrous for their run defense. Last week was just a blip for this Bears defense, which has a good opportunity to get back on track against the Lions.

How hot is Matt Nagy’s seat?

If you would’ve asked me prior to the season, I’d say it was lukewarm. Following a five-game losing streak, and an absolutely embarrassing loss to the Packers on national television where Nagy’s defense appeared to have quit on him, I’d say his seat is on fire at this point. Especially considering the one thing he was brought here to do – bring this abysmal Bears offense into the modern NFL – hasn’t panned out.

The one thing that could ultimately save Nagy’s job is Chicago’s schedule down the stretch. If the Bears can find a way to win four of the last five games and finish 9-7, he might just buy himself another season.

Who is a player or two that deserves more recognition for their play?

The one that immediately comes to mind is defensive tackle Akiem Hicks, whose absence was felt in last Sunday’s loss to the Packers. Not only is Hicks an absolute monster of a player when defending the run or pressuring the quarterback, he’s the heart and soul of the entire Bears defense. Hicks is still nursing a hamstring injury, although there’s hope that he’ll be able to suit up on Sunday.

I’d also say linebacker Roquan Smith, who is coming off his worst game of the season against the Packers. But aside from that game, Smith has been having an All-Pro season. Prior to the Packers game, Smith was tied for fourth-most total tackles and led the NFL in solo tackles and tackles for loss. Look for him to have a bounce-back game against Detroit.

Who wins and why?

While the Bears have no business winning a football game right now, you could say the same about the Lions. This game could be brutal to watch, but it’s sure to remain as close as several of these previous contests. But I feel like the Bears defense will come to play Sunday after being embarrassed by the Packers last week. And it doesn’t hurt that Trubisky, who has a good track record against Detroit, will get the starting nod.

Bears 24, Lions 20