High-scoring Lions’ fast start too much for Bears, Chicago loses 9th in a row
Game Recap
The Chicago Bears spotted the Detroit Lions an early 20-0 lead and despite catching their groove as the game went on, came up short for the second time this season against Detroit. The loss was the Bears’ ninth in a row, while the Lions set a franchise record with their 13th win of the year.
The Bears started the afternoon on offense how they have all season – incredibly slow. Chicago went three-and-out on their first drive of the afternoon and followed that up with back-to-back fumbles involving Rome Odunze that were both recovered by the Lions. Meanwhile, Detroit’s offense scored on each of their first five possessions of the game.
Jake Bates hit a pair of field goals, Jahmyr Gibbs punched in a 1-yard TD run, and Jared Goff hit Jameson Williams for an 82-yard TD pass to help the Lions sprint out to a 20-0 lead. The 82-yard TD pass represented Detroit’s longest passing touchdown of the year and also set a franchise record for most points scored in a single season – 479 at the time, and 493 by game’s end.
The Lions and the Bears traded touchdowns over the next three combined offensive drives. Caleb Williams found Cole Kmet on a 1-yard TD pass before Goff found Amon Ra St. Brown on an 8-yard touchdown. Next, Williams connected with Keenan Allen on a 45-yard TD pass and Bates missed a 65-yard field goal to end the first half.
Post-Game Quotes
“I saw they had a two-high shell and right before the snap, I yelled for Keenan,” Williams said postgame. “I was thinking it was going to be Cover 2 and Keenan ran a great route. He ran it near perfect. We’ve practiced this route many times and we were just on the same page right before the snap.”
Second Half Struggles
The back-to-back offensive touchdowns for Chicago was their best first half offensive performance since their last win of the season. They scored 14 points in the first half of their London game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 6, which ended in a 35-16 victory. Going into Sunday, the Bears were averaging 6.9 points per game in the first half (31st in the NFL), and scored zero first-half points in their last three games.
On the other side of halftime, Chicago has been known to have a better offensive performance in the second half this season. The Bears were averaging 12.1 points per game in the second half, and had a +38 point differential after halftime (9th in the NFL) before playing Detroit this weekend. But that’s not how things played out this time around.
Final Score
The Lions outscored Chicago in the second half thanks a 21-yard TD pass from Goff to Sam LaPorta before both offenses slowed down during the fourth quarter. Cairo Santos added a 30-yard field goal with six minutes remaining in the third quarter to make it 34-17, and both sides were held scoreless over the remainder of the ballgame.
Conclusion
The Bears’ ninth consecutive loss is a concerning trend for the team, and they will look to turn things around in their next game. Meanwhile, the Lions continue to impress, setting a franchise record for wins in a single season.
FAQs
Q: What was the final score of the game?
A: The final score was Detroit Lions 34, Chicago Bears 17.
Q: How many consecutive losses does the Bears have?
A: The Bears has lost nine consecutive games.
Q: What was the record for the Lions before this game?
A: The Lions set a franchise record with their 13th win of the year.
