CHICAGO – The Lions needed some come-from-behind heroics to defeat the Bears in the final four minutes in Detroit Week 11 last month.
Three weeks later the Bears once again built a double-digit lead and the Lions battled their way back, but this time Detroit's offense couldn't muster a comeback and Chicago made all the plays down the stretch to put the game away and send Detroit home with a 28-13 defeat. The loss drops Detroit to 9-4 on the season.
Bears quarterback Justin Fields was a Lion killer once again, throwing a touchdown and running for one as he totaled 283 scrimmage yards. He entered the game as the NFL's only quarterback to have three games of 100 yards rushing against a single opponent since 1950, doing it three straight times vs. Detroit. The Lions held him under 100 yards rushing in this one, but he was still plenty impactful.
Chicago opened up a 10-0 lead on a D.J. Moore 16-yard touchdown run on the Bears' opening drive, followed by a Cairo Santos 46-yard field goal.
Detroit scored 13 unanswered in the second quarter on a 12-yard touchdown run by running back Jahmyr Gibbs (Riley Patterson missed the extra point) and an 8-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jared Goff to wide receiver Josh Reynolds.
View photos from the Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears Week 14 game at Soldier Field on Sunday, Dec. 10 in Chicago, IL.
But the second half was all Chicago.
The Bears tied it up at 13-13 with a Santos 25-yard field goal midway through the third quarter.
Detroit opened the second half with three straight three and outs on offense and it was just a matter of time before Chicago took advantage of great field position.
The Bears left their offense on the field late in the third quarter at the Lions' 38-yard line on a 4th & 12 and that decision by Bears head coach Matt Eberflus turned into a game changer. Fields hit Moore on a 38-yard touchdown strike to give Chicago a 19-13 lead. The extra point was blocked by Detroit.
Detroit's offensive woes would continue as Goff and center Graham Glasgow fumbled the snap on their next possession giving Chicago the ball at the Detroit 29-yard line. Fields capped that possession with an 11-yard touchdown run.
Detroit never got back in the contest.
QB Comparison: Goff finished 20-for-35 passing for just 161 yards with a touchdown, two interceptions and passer rating of just 54.6. He was also sacked four times and had the one botched snap with Glasgow.
Fields completed 19 of his 33 passes for 223 yards with a touchdown, no interceptions and an 88.3 rating. He also rushed 10 times for 60 yards and a touchdown.
Key moment: With the game tied 13-13 late in the third quarter the Bears faced a 4th & 12 at the Lions' 38-yard line. Detroit's offense had just gone three and out three straight possessions and the defense was trying to stand on their head.
Just before the snap, Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson jumped offside and contacted the guard, giving Fields a free play. He took advantage and went up top to Moore, who beat Lions cornerback Jerry Jacobs for a 38-yard touchdown on 4th and 12. It ended up being the go-ahead touchdown for the Bears.
Impact stat: Detroit's offense came into the contest ranked second in the NFL averaging 400.6 yards per game, but for the final two quarters Sunday they were completely stymied by the Bears' defense. Detroit opened the second half with a punt, punt, punt, fumble and turnover on downs. Those five drives netted just 20 total yards.
During that stretch the Bears scored 18 unanswered points. Detroit's possession chart in the second half was one to forget – punt, punt, punt, fumble, downs, downs, interception. Detroit totaled just 267 yards of offense in the game.
Injury report: Cornerback Kindle Vildor left the game with cramping in the fourth quarter and did not return.
Next week: vs. Denver (6-6), Dec. 16 (Sat.), 8:15 p.m.