The Detroit Lions got back to playing the kind of complementary football that helped them win 15 games last season in a dominating, 52-21, victory over the Chicago Bears at Ford Field Sunday to improve their record to 1-1.
Chicago's defense had no answers for a Lions' offense that rushed for better than 175 yards, threw for over 300 yards and finished with more than 500 total yards of offense.
Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for a 6-yard touchdown on Detroit's first possession of the game and it never slowed from there as they found the end zone seven times total in the contest. David Montgomery also had a 1-yard rushing touchdown as both Detroit running backs recorded a rushing score in the same game for the 10th time. Gibbs led Detroit's rushing attack with 94 yards on 12 carries (7.8 avg.).
Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (3), tight end Brock Wright and wide receiver Jameson Williams all recorded touchdown receptions for the Lions. Williams' was a 44-yarder late in the third quarter, his sixth career 40-plus yard touchdown reception.
Defensively, Detroit recorded two takeaways – a Brian Branch forced fumble of Bears running back D'Andre Swift that was recovered by linebacker Jack Campbell and an interception from safety Kerby Joseph, his first of the season and 18th of his career. They also forced a turnover on downs in the second quarter.
The Lions' defense was all over the field, especially in the Bears' backfield, recording four sacks (Aidan Hutchinson, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Branch and Marcus Davenport) on the afternoon.
Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze scored two Bears touchdowns and Swift added a late fourth-quarter touchdown run.
QB comparison: Lions quarterback Jared Goff was tremendous in the contest, completing 23-of-28 passes for 334 yards with five touchdowns, zero interceptions and a 156.0 passer rating.
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams completed 19 of his 30 pass attempts for 207 yards with two touchdowns, one interception and a 91.9 rating. Detroit's defense did a really nice job limiting the dual-threat Williams' plays with his legs. He rushed for just 27 yards on five carries (5.4 avg.).
Big moment: With just 21 seconds left in the second quarter the Lions were driving at the Chicago 33-yard line. On a 1st & 10 play Goff lofted a pass down the right sideline and rookie wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa made a diving one-handed grab at the 6-yard line. It set up a St. Brown 6-yard touchdown catch on the next play with just two seconds on the second-quarter clock to give the Lions a 28-14 halftime lead.
Key stat: After rushing for just 46 yards and a 2.1-yard average per carry last week in Green Bay, Detroit got back to the ground and pound that we've been used to from this offense as they rushed for 177 yards with an average of 5.9 yards per carry and two rushing touchdowns.
When the Lions can establish the run, everything else opens for them as we saw Sunday in a dominating offensive performance for Detroit.
Star performances:
- Offense: St. Brown produced six receptions for 100 yards (16.7 avg.) and a touchdown in the first half alone Sunday. It was the first time St. Brown has topped 100 receiving yards in the first half of any game in his career. He finished with nine receptions for 115 yards and three touchdowns.
- Defense: Branch was all over the field for the Lions' defense, finishing with six tackles, two tackles for loss, one pass defended, one forced fumble and a quarterback hit. He left the game in the fourth quarter with an undisclosed injury and did not return.
Injury report: Lions reserve tight end Shane Zylstra injured his ankle in the first quarter and did not return.
Also leaving the contest and not returning were Davenport (shoulder) and Branch (undisclosed).
Up next: at Baltimore, Sept. 22 (Monday Night Football), 8:15 p.m.
