Lions @ Bears
Final Score: Bears 28, Lions 13
Writer: Brennan Rampe (@phdinnfl on Twitter)
The Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions met at Soldier Field for their second matchup of the season. Chicago was very close to upsetting Detroit back in Week 11 but blew a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter. This time, they jumped out to an early 10-0 lead and while the game was tied briefly in the second half, the Bears took control and held on to secure the victory. Justin Fields played well and presented a case as to why he should stay in Chicago. Matt Eberflus also won consecutive games for the first time as head coach. Chicago is now 5-8. Detroit played very poorly and dropped to 9-4. They’re still the favorites to win the NFC North, but they might be a quick exit in the playoffs.
Three Up
- Justin Fields – Was effective as a runner and made some big-time throws. He always seems to be at his best when playing the Lions.
- D.J. Moore – He had his first career rushing touchdown and had a receiving score. He’s the best weapon that the Bears have.
- Bears defense – This unit has been stellar in the past couple of weeks. They had three turnovers and shut out the Lions in the second half. They’ve been playing like it’s 1985.
Three Down
- Jared Goff – Had two interceptions and lost a fumble on a mishandled snap. There was no magical comeback this time. His poor play should concern the Lions.
- Amon-Ra St. Brown – Was contained and had several drops that could’ve made the score closer.
- Dan Campbell – He did not have his team ready to play. They had several fourth-down failures that made it seem like Brandon Staley was coaching this team. He was completely outcoached by Matt Eberflus. Yikes.
Detroit Lions
Quarterback
Jared Goff: 20/35, 161 Yards, TD, 2 INT | 1 Carry, 0 Yards
As his statline will tell you, Jared Goff was pretty terrible. He never looked comfortable as he was under constant pressure and was sacked four times. Both interceptions were on lengthy fourth-down attempts, but he had several dangerous throws that should have been picked off. Ever since that Week 10 thriller against the Chargers, Goff hasn’t been playing well, and he has been turning it over far too much. The Lions don’t look like a contender anymore.
Running Back
David Montgomery: 10 Carries, 66 Yards | 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 19 Yards
The former Bears running back had the same amount of yards as his rookie teammate, Jahmyr Gibbs. He had a forgettable performance, and most of the yards came when they were down by two scores.
Jahmyr Gibbs: 11 Carries, 66 Yards, TD | 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 16 Yards
The rookie from Alabama looks faster than Montgomery does. Montgomery is the more physical runner and does a lot of goal-line work, and Gibbs is more of the home-run hitter, although he occasionally receives goal-line carries. Gibbs put Detroit on the board with a rushing touchdown and was quiet after that, though being down by two scores forced Detroit to abandon the run. I still believe this duo is one of the best in the league, and they’re both good fantasy options.
Missed Opportunities
- Dropped a pass on a screen that could’ve gone for a touchdown.
- Got stopped on a 4th-and-1.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Amon-Ra St. Brown: 9 Targets, 3 Receptions, 21 Yards
One of the better wide receivers in the game was kept in check by the Bears’ defense, who have been channeling the 1985 Bears these past couple of weeks. He had several drops as Detroit attempted a comeback. Jared Goff kept throwing the ball where it needed to be, and St. Brown repeatedly failed to secure the ball. Hopefully, he will get back to form in the upcoming weeks.
Josh Reynolds: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 44 Yards, TD
Goff’s former Rams teammate caught a touchdown at the end of the first half, which was the highlight of his day. He does seem to find the end zone on a fairly regular basis.
Jameson Williams: 1 Carry, 4 Yards | 1 Target
The only thing on Jameson Williams’ stat line was a carry that went nowhere. Goff attempted a deep pass to him near the end of the game but it was an overthrow that he couldn’t have caught. Detroit traded up 20 spots to pick Williams. He’s dealt with an ACL injury along with a suspension, and he hasn’t developed into what they’ve hoped.
Kalif Raymond: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 15 Yards
Donovan Peoples-Jones: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 17 Yards
The former Browns wide receiver caught his first pass as a member of the Lions on a fourth-down play and was never seen again. Detroit acquired him at the trade deadline and he has done almost nothing. I feel like he should have stayed with the Browns.
Sam LaPorta: 1 Carry, 4 Yards | 6 Targets, 2 Receptions, 23 Yards
The standout rookie, along with most of the weapons on the Lions, had a quiet day. He even had a random carry on the drive which led to the Josh Reynolds touchdown, which made no sense. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was getting cute for no reason.
Brock Wright: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 6 Yards
Chicago Bears
Quarterback
Justin Fields: 19/33, 223 Yards, TD | 12 Carries, 58 Yards, TD
This was one of the better games that Justin Fields played this year. After a Monday night performance two weeks ago where he was mediocre, he didn’t have a single turnover. He had over 200 yards through the air and a passing touchdown this week. He did damage with his legs and even led the team in rushing today. He leads the Bears in rushing despite missing four games! He ran for a score in the red zone and had a touchdown pass to D.J. Moore on a 4th-and-13 that was set up by a Lions player jumping offsides. It’s looking like a lock that the Bears will have the first overall pick via the Panthers. There are four weeks left in the season. If Fields continues to play like this over these final games, Chicago will have a tough decision to make. Will they keep Fields and build around him? Or will they draft Caleb Williams or Drake Maye? We’re not going to know until the offseason, but he was solid today.
.@justnfields takes it himself!
?: #DETvsCHI on FOX pic.twitter.com/Fql4Ez4Si3
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 10, 2023
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Notes
- Did a bit too much running. He took several huge hits. He needs to protect himself.
Running Back
D’Onta Foreman: 11 Carries, 50 Yards | 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 22 Yards
D’Onta Foreman is the top running back on this team. He had the most rushing yards among the three backs today and was the only one who consistently got positive yards. He’s the top option on the field and in fantasy, as Herbert and Johnson have been non-factors recently.
Khalil Herbert: 3 Carries, 8 Yards
Roschon Johnson: 1 Carry, 6 Yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
D.J. Moore: 3 Carries, 20 Yards, TD | 10 Targets, 6 Receptions, 68 Yards, TD
It was a weird start for D.J. Moore as he was being used in the rushing attack and wasn’t targeted early on. He had his first career rushing touchdown on a direct snap. Eventually, he started catching passes and had a receiving touchdown. His chemistry with Justin Fields is good, and he’s by far the best wide receiver on this team. The Bears need someone else to step up opposite of him. Maybe a certain son of a Hall of Famer with the first overall pick could be that guy.
.@idjmoore on the run for 6 ?
?: #DETvsCHI on FOX pic.twitter.com/WP9XIQufSS
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 10, 2023
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.@justnfields with a DIME to @idjmoore ?
?: #DETvsCHI on FOX pic.twitter.com/NoIKvw5p2Y
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 10, 2023
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Darnell Mooney: 7 Targets, 2 Receptions, 44 Yards
Darnell Mooney was targeted seven times but only had two catches. Most of his yards came on a catch-and-run that was thrown into a tight window by Justin Fields. He hasn’t been much of a factor this year, both on the field and in fantasy.
Velus Jones Jr.: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 11 Yards
Tyler Scott: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 11 Yards
Cole Kmet: 7 Targets, 5 Receptions, 66 Yards
Cole Kmet seems to be the other target that Justin Fields trusts besides D.J. Moore. Kmet had an impressive catch in the third quarter, and it made Dan Campbell challenge it. The ruling on the field stood, and it cost Detroit a timeout. He is a great red-zone target with his size.
Marcedes Lewis: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 4 Yards