Gene Chamberlain is a beat writer covering the Chciago Bears for Bears OnSI. He recently answered five questions from Lions OnSI to preview Sunday’s game between the two NFC North foes.

What are the biggest differences between from the Bears when they played Detroit on Thanksgiving to now?

Gene Chamberlain: The Bears are about half the team they were when they played Detroit at Thanksgiving. The biggest difference is if their defense hasn’t collapsed, it’s at least been knocked down several pegs by giving up too many big plays to good offenses. Losing Matt Eberflus as defensive play caller was devastating. Eric Washington hasn’t had any success with this in the NFL and has had the opportunities.  Also, they don’t have either of their starting defensive tackles, which ruins their ability to stop the run. The 49ers ran whenever they wanted. The Vikings did too, but Kevin O’Connell gets bored running it more than 30% of the time. Then after the Bears can’t stop the run their pass defense and pass rush cave in. They’ve been playing defense without two key players for too long — safety Jaquan Brisker and DT Andrew Billings. The importance of losing Brisker can’t be stressed enough. They brought him into the box often to help stop the run and he played all over in the back, sometimes flipping with Kevin Byard deep to strong or back. He’s been out since Oct. 6 with his third concussion in three years. The Bears didn’t put him on IR but now they don’t even list him on their injury report each week either. It’s like he vanished. Pretty sad considering he got to play only 2-plus seasons.

Is Lions’ offensive coordinator Ben Johnson the popular candidate for Bears fans to take over the head coaching job? Who are other names that could interest the team?

Chamberlain: Johnson would be the majority fan favorite but the meatball section of Chicago, the Ditka sect, all want Mike Vrabel. There are a small number who really don’t seem to have thought it out but they like the idea of Kliff Kingsbury teamed with Caleb Williams even though every team he ever coached faded or collapsed. Joe Brady stirred up some sparks when they beat the Lions but it’s not catching hold like Johnson has, mainly because the Lions are in the division and have been watched closely by Bears fans. 

What has been the root of the Bears’ offensive struggles in recent weeks?

Chamberlain: The combination of an inconsistent, overrated offensive line and a rookie quarterback who is being poorly developed. Again. Caleb Williams is on offensive coordinator No. 3 this year, Chris Beatty, and also on play caller No. 2  with interim head coach Thomas Brown. With that type of setup, it’s a wonder he hasn’t developed split personalities. Dan Orlovsky maintained Williams is the only QB among the first-rounders who hasn’t improved this year. He’s totally wrong. Williams has improved dramatically against the blitz. He forced the Vikings to retreat into playing base defensive coverage he was so good at it for two games. But, as Orlovsky also maintained, Williams isn’t making the little plays or easy plays that he normally had made in college.

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Caleb Williams had a strong fourth quarter against the Lions in the Thanksgiving matchup. What have been Williams’ strengths this year and could he take advantage of a beat-up Lions’ defense?

Chamberlain: His biggest strengths have been running the offense in no-huddle desperation mode because they’ve had to do it so much. Also, throwing on the move laterally and handling the blitz are strengths but lately his mechanics are getting worse and worse after 58 sacks taken, most in the league. He’s flinching.  He’s definitely capable of taking advantage of Detroit’s short-handed defense if they look past the Bears or if the coaches allow that to happen by not putting in enough work on their game planning. The game means too much to Detroit for this to happen. Williams also rushes too many throws and his footwork is bad then, leading to overthrows or underthrows. And he misses occasional open receivers even though coaches defend him and say he hasn’t.  He does and has.

Who wins and why?

  
Chamberlain: The Lions will win because the Bears can’t stop the run and have stopped running the ball since Brown became head coach/coordinator. Last week they finally did run but had only marginal success. D’Andre Swift finally broke a couple tackles last week and they need more of this. There is no doubt the Lions will run. Even without David Montgomery they will find ways to get this done against a Bears run defense now down to 26th in the league without Billings, Dexter and Brisker playing, one year after they were first against the run.

4Warn Weather – SATURDAY: Mostly sunny skies. A few flakes are possible North. High: 25.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Mainly clear skies. Much colder temperatures. Low: 8.

SUNDAY: Partly cloudy skies, continued cold. High: 25.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy skies, increasing clouds. Mostly cloudy late. Low: 19.

MONDAY: Cloudy skies. Snow develops in the late afternoon and evening. High: 33.

After a wintry end of the week with snow for most of the region, we will get a break from the snow with some much-needed sunshine looking ahead into the upcoming weekend.

The clouds have thinned out overnight last night into this morning, and I’m expecting lots of sunshine looking ahead throughout our Saturday. There may be a few more clouds in some of our northern communities up into the thumb, with a few snowflakes possible thanks to the northwesterly flow that will continue for the start of the weekend. High temperatures warming below freezing throughout the day, only heading for the middle 20s by the time we get to Saturday afternoon.

Mainly clear skies will be expected overnight tonight, and that will allow temperatures to drop pretty fast. Overnight low is dropping into the single digits, with windshields also going into the single digits overnight Saturday night into early on Sunday morning.

Looking ahead to the end of the weekend on Sunday, we will keep some sunshine into the forecast with a little more cloud cover sticking around as well. High temperature is remaining below freezing, only in the middle 20s by Sunday afternoon.

Our next chain of winter weather moves back into the region, looking ahead into the start of next week, we will see another area of low pressure move towards the region, and that will overspread snow into the region Monday afternoon into Monday evening. High temperature is warming up to right around the freezing mark, end of the lower 30s by Monday afternoon.

Then, dry weather sticks around, looking ahead into Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for Tuesday and Wednesday. Mostly cloudy skies can be expected both days, high temperatures continuing to warm, into the upper 30s both days.

The cloud cover sticks around for Thursday, before rain showers are back into the forecast, looking ahead into the end of next week on Friday. The warming trend continues into the end of next week. It temperatures are expected to warm into the lower 40s both Thursday and Friday.

DETROIT – Members of local Community Violence Intervention (CVI) groups across the city of Detroit are working to make sure some of the families in the areas they serve are not ignored this holiday season.

Organizations, including Detroit Friends and Family, Force Detroit, and 55th Foundation, are hosting Christmas Toy Giveaway events.

CVI groups are committed to helping reduce gun violence and other crimes while addressing community challenges in specific target zones, or hot spots, across the city.

“We’re letting the people know how to put down guns and, more than likely, pick up a hammer,” explained Michael Rogers of 55th Foundation. “We help them do some work.”

Members of local CVI groups said they are seeing positive results by forming relationships with neighbors and businesses.

They are helping residents access critical resources and providing support in areas where some residents believe neighbors have been ignored or neglected.

The work of local CVI groups has resulted in up to an 83% reduction in gun violence in some areas, according to city of Detroit leaders.

“The work is proactive,” said Darrell Ewing of Detroit Friends and Family. “We do the work that the police can’t do. We stop the crime before it happens, and we mediate with the youngsters, and we push them into purpose, where they don’t have to worry about feuding and warring.”

This holiday season, 55th Foundation is hosting a Christmas Toy Giveaway from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 21, at Carmen’s, 14650 Gratiot Avenue.

Detroit Friends and Family is partnering with rapper Icewear Vezzo and Detroit Lions player Za’Darius Smith

for its Christmas Toy Giveaway scheduled for Monday, Dec. 23, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Impact Church located at 12844 Elmdale Street.

The group said Smith was also helping them give away a car to a family in need during their event.

“To actually get into the free raffle you have to send a video in to @MrBeatTheOdds on Instagram,” Ewing said. “Let the people know this is why I’m in dire need of this car and why.”

The CVI groups said the holiday events are their way of giving back this holiday season and looking out for the communities they serve.