A dreary day in Chicago turned into a joyous occasion for Detroit Lions fans this past Sunday, when the Lions (3-6) rallied to beat the Justin Field-backed Chicago Bears (3-7). This win marked two in a row for the Lions, who had been on a losing streak since their Week 2 win against the fairly mediocre Washington Commanders. Amidst the turmoil of repeated losses, the Lions also traded star tight end T.J. Hockenson to the division-rival Minnesota Vikings in exchange for draft picks, which many perceived as a sign that the end of the Dan Campbell era was quickly approaching. This win was a big one for the morale of the Lions team, especially considering they are heading into two difficult games against the New York Giants and the Buffalo Bills (for the Thanksgiving game).
The game started out in typical Lions fashion, with the first quarter resulting in a tie of field goals. By halftime, the Lions and Bears both had 10 points, after each scoring a touchdown in the 2nd quarter. It started to look like a usual Lions game in the third quarter, with Justin Fields throwing two touchdowns to Bears tight end Cole Kmet, one of which was for 50 yards and ended with Kmet easily running into the endzone. The Lions’ defense was looking particularly dismal, as has become the norm this year, and the game appeared to be another one in which the Lions were crushed by a team that wasn’t very good. By the end of the 3rd quarter, the Lions were losing 10-24.
3 minutes into the 4th quarter, running back D’Andre Swift, who had previously been limited in practices/games, ran for a 9-yard touchdown to bring the score to 17-24. The Lions are historically bad in one-score games, losing 10 of them since 2021. Just one minute later, cornerback Jeff Okudah, who went to The Ohio State University and wore the same number as Fields wore when he went to the school, picked off the Bears’ quarterback and rushed into the end zone, evening out the score at 24 following the extra kick. While the announcers were in awe of the Lions’ rallying run, Justin Fields muscled down the field for a 67-yard touchdown, bringing the Lions right back to one score behind. The Bears went for a two-point conversion but were unable to complete it, bringing the score to 24-30. When all hope appeared to be gone, Lions running back Jamaal Williams scored the short final touchdown of the game, and kicker Michael Badgely made the kick, bringing the final score to 31-30.
Looking ahead, the Lions will be playing the New York Giants, who sneakily have one of the better records in the league. A win over the Giants would prove impactful for the team, as they have yet to beat a team with a winning record. The Lions have a 32% chance of winning, according to ESPN, but the odds are not leaning as far in favor of the Giants as many would have predicted, with the spread being Giants -3. Let’s hope this Lions winning streak continues because we’d love to see them grow from measly housecats to the kings of the jungle!