Lions’ historic season continues with Thanksgiving victory vs. Bears

DETROIT — With an 11-1 start, their best in team history, the Detroit Lions continue to end a laundry list of notable droughts.

The Lions, who defeated the Chicago Bears 23-20, had lost seven straight Thanksgiving Day games, which was a point of emphasis throughout the week from coach Dan Campbell.

The Lions dominated the opening half with 18 first downs compared to the Bears’ two. Chicago’s first first down came with 55 seconds left in the second quarter. The second half was a different story as the Bears stormed back, only to fall short after a sack and an incomplete pass as time expired on the final drive.

Quarterback Jared Goff went 21-for-34 for 221 yards and two touchdowns. The running back duo of with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery combined for 175 yards.

While honoring the late John Madden with jersey patches on their uniforms, the Lions’ defense also pitched a first-half shutout in front of a star-studded crowd, which included actor Tim Allen, rapper Eminem, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles and Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, who wore holiday gear in a suite. — Eric Woodyard

Detroit Lions (11-1)

Most surprising performance: TE Sam LaPorta. After a record-breaking rookie season, the Pro Bowler got off to a slow start in Year 2 with two touchdowns in Weeks 1-8. But LaPorta connected with Goff on two receiving touchdowns in his second game back after being sidelined against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 17 with a shoulder injury.

Describe the game in two words: Defensive letdown. Prior to Keenan Allen‘s 31-yard touchdown catch from Caleb Williams at the start of the second half, the Lions’ defense hadn’t allowed a touchdown since halftime of the Houston Texans game in Week 10. The Lions went 12 straight quarters without surrendering a touchdown under defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Detroit would allow three total passing touchdowns in the second half.

Troubling trend: The injury woes continue for the Lions as defensive linemen Levi Onwuzurike (hamstring) and DL Josh Paschal (knee) were ruled out at the start of the second half. Pro Bowl edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, linebacker Alex Anzalone, DL John Cominsky, LB Derrick Barnes, DL Marcus Davenport, safety Ifeatu Melifonwu and special teams ace/linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin are key defensive players on injured reserve. — Woodyard

Next game: vs. Packers (8:15 p.m. ET, Thursday, Dec. 5)

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Chicago Bears (4-8)

A second-half comeback put the Bears within striking distance of their division rival. Chicago erased a 16-point deficit after a one-sided affair in the first half behind quarterback Caleb Williams, who completed 20 of 39 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns.

It was enough to put the Bears down by three points late and in position to finally see the other side of a one-score affair.

But Chicago failed to use its final timeout in the waning moments and allowed the clock to run out on their chance to win their first NFC North game in 11 months.

QB breakdown: This was a tale of two halves for the No. 1 overall pick. Williams struggled to extend plays in the first two quarters, going 0-for-3 with a scramble against pressure, 0-for-6 on passes with 15-plus air yards and 0-for-2 on passes thrown outside of the pocket. On Chicago’s first drive of the second half, Williams led the Bears’ longest drive of the day (74 yards) capped by a touchdown to Allen. That TD throw set a franchise record for rookie passing touchdowns (12), formerly held by Charlie O’Rourke (1942). Williams has thrown 231 passes without an interception, which is the longest streak by a rookie in NFL history.

Troubling trend: Matt Eberflus’ seat has gone from hot to boiling after the Bears lost their sixth straight. Whether marked by his impulse on throwing the challenge flag (he’s 0-5 this season), game mismanagement (one timeout remaining and the Bears let the clock run out on their comeback) or fielding an ill-prepared team, the knocks against Eberflus keep adding up. He’s 2-13 against NFC North opponents (.154), which is the worst record in the NFL since he was hired in 2022. The Bears are primed for a head-coach search in January as each loss cements Eberflus’ fate.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Allen sparked the Bears’ second-half comeback after with two touchdown receptions to cut the Lions’ lead to 10. What’s troubling is how long it took Allen to get involved. The 32-year-old receiver was not targeted until the third quarter after seeing 15 passes in his direction a week ago against the Vikings. — Courtney Cronin

Next game: at 49ers (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday, Dec. 8)