Bears’ late-game mistakes help Lions hold on for 10th straight win

The Detroit Lions have been dominant for much of the season, leading the league in point differential after routinely routing opponents. Against Chicago, the Lions were good enough to extend their winning streak to 10 games.

Barely.

Jared Goff threw two touchdown passes to Sam LaPorta, Jake Bates made three field goals in the first half, and the Lions held off the Bears, 23-20, on Thursday.

“It was a crazy ending, right?” Goff asked.

Indeed.

The Bears had the ball in Lions territory late in the game with a chance to drive for a game-tying field goal or go-ahead touchdown, but they blew the opportunity. The confusion started after Caleb Williams hit Keenan Allen for a 12-yard completion to the Lions 13 in the final minute.

That would have given the Bears plenty of time to try for the win before attempting the field goal, but guard Tevin Jenkins was called for illegal hands to the face, moving the ball back to the 35.

On second down, the Bears called a QB draw play for Williams, hoping he could get the first down and set up the field goal. However, backup tackle Larry Borom didn’t move as Za’Darius Smith came in unblocked to sack Williams for a 6-yard loss.

“It got loud, and I don’t think Larry heard the count,” Williams said. “Once I saw Za’Darius coming free, I didn’t want to risk trying to throw the ball away in case he got a chance to get his hands on it. I took the sack and tried to get everybody lined up for the final play.”

As Williams tried to get the play off, Bears coach Matt Eberflus didn’t call Chicago’s last timeout. He said he was conserving it to set up a field-goal attempt.

“The hope was we could re-rack the play, snap it with about 18 seconds left, throw it into field-goal range and call the timeout,” he said.

The clock, though, ran beyond 18 seconds and beyond Eberflus’ other benchmarks.

“Once it gets under 12, we can’t throw a pass to the sideline, and once it gets under seven, you have to throw the ball to the end zone,” he said. “At that point, if you call a timeout, it is to throw it to the end zone.”

When Williams realized no timeout was coming, he hurriedly changed the play call to a deep pass to Rome Odunze, but it fell incomplete just short of the end zone.

“I knew we didn’t have time for a field goal, so I made an adjustment,” he said. “I just wanted to get Rome one-on-one and try to take a shot at six.”

Williams didn’t second-guess his coach.

“We can call a timeout there or we cannot,” he said. “I’m not going to say I was surprised. My job is just to go out there and make plays. I let the coaches and everybody make that decision — it is their call. Maybe in the later years of my career, it will be my call.”

The finish ruined a spectacular second half by Williams, who went 15 for 24 for 222 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 29 yards.

“We didn’t have any sustained possessions in the first half, so we had to get positive drives in the second,” he said. “That was a big point for us at halftime and we got into a rhythm and stayed encouraged.”

Williams could have helped the Bears to a memorable comeback win on Thanksgiving, but the Bears once again fell short.

“I think we handled it the right way,” Eberflus said. “I believe we could re-rack the play and get it done.

“It just didn’t work out.”

The NFC-leading Lions (11-1) have their best record after 12 games in team history and their 10-game winning streak ties a franchise record with the 1934 squad.

The Bears (4-8) have lost six straight, including four by a total of 10 points.

Detroit led 16-0 at halftime and 23-7 after three quarters and Williams led a comeback that came up short for the second straight week. Williams helped the Bears rally from an 11-point deficit in the final 22 seconds of regulation against Minnesota before losing in overtime.

Detroit opened the game with four straight scoring drives, going ahead 16-0 on Goff’s 3-yard touchdown pass to LaPorta in the second quarter and Bates’ field goals.

Chicago, meanwhile, failed to pick up a first down on its first four drives and gained a total of 32 yards on those possessions.

“We started off pretty hot offensively and defensively,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said.

Goff’s second touchdown pass to LaPorta, a 1-yard toss, gave Detroit a 23-7 lead late in the third quarter. The score was set up by Jameson Williams‘ 15-yard reverse, which included him hurdling Kevin Byard to gain several extra yards.

Caleb Williams, the No. 1 pick overall in the draft, was 20 of 39 for 256 yards with two touchdown passes to Allen and one to DJ Moore.

Williams seemed to make his first rookie mistake of the game in the third quarter on a run, pulling up instead of going out of bounds and took a low hit from linebacker Jack Campbell.

“Knee is fine, but that play was kind of funky,” Williams said. “I didn’t appreciate him diving right at my knee, but it is good.”

The former USC star shook it off and on the next snap, threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Allen. William connected with Allen for another score, throwing a 9-yarder to him with 5:36 remaining.

Detroit had a chance to add to its cushion, but Bates missed a 45-yard kick after starting his NFL career 19 of 19 on field goals on a drive that was stunted by Jameson Williams’ 15-yard penalty for tossing the football at a Bears player on the sideline.

Jameson Williams, unsolicited, apologized to the team after the game.

“I’m proud of him, the way he handled it,” Goff said.

Finally, feeling festive

The Lions snapped a seven-game losing streak on Thanksgiving.

“We’re going to enjoy this,” Campbell said.

Injuries

Bears: RB Roschon Johnson left the game with a concussion. … Bears G Ryan Bates (concussion) and DB Elijah Hicks (ankle) were inactive.

Lions: LB Malcolm Rodriguez (knee) left the game and Campbell said he fears the injury may be serious. … DE Josh Paschal (knee), DL Levi Onwuzurike (hamstring) and DL Mekhi Wingo (knee) where hurt during the game, potentially more blows to a position hit hard by injuries, including Aidan Hutchinson’s broken leg.

Up next

Bears: Play at San Francisco on Dec. 8.

Lions: Host Green Bay next Thursday night.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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