Detroit, MI
Terrible second-half sinks Detroit Lions vs. last-place Bears
DETROIT – An embarrassing second-half performance sunk the Detroit Lions in their rematch with the last-place Chicago Bears.
There were unforced turnovers, costly penalties, and far too many unproductive possessions after halftime as the Lions watched their last chance to compete at the top of the NFC go up in smoke.
With the loss, Detroit falls to 9-4, and its lead in the division could drop to two games, depending on what happens with the Vikings and Packers.
Poor defensive start
The Bears know as well as anyone how the Lions have played on defense since the bye week, so they chose to receive the ball after winning the coin toss. That decision paid off, as Justin Fields marched the ball easily down the field for an opening touchdown.
Fields ran the ball four times for 28 yards on that drive, and wide receiver D.J. Moore took a direct snap 16 yards untouched for his first career rushing touchdown.
Alex Anzalone missed a key tackle that would have set up a second and long on the first series, Derrick Barnes lost contain on a read option, and nobody along the defensive line could get a hand on Fields.
The Lions picked up a first down on their opening drive, but a 15-yard tripping penalty on Graham Glasgow doomed them.
After a punt, the Bears took the ball from their own 9-yard line and drove right down the field for another score. The key play was a 3rd and 8 at Chicago’s 11-yard line. Anzalone and Aidan Hutchinson nearly got to Fields twice, but neither could bring him down. Instead, he ran for 19 yards to move the chains.
A few plays later, Fields converted another third down with a pass to Robert Tonyan. A defensive holding on Anzalone moved the chains anyway.
Anzalone picked up a 15-yard late hit penalty on the very next snap — a 28-yard completion to Tonyan.
Detroit finally managed to get a third-down stop in the red zone, as Jalen Reeves-Maybin sacked Fields to force a 46-yard field goal.
Just like that, the Lions were down 10-0, with 112 yards allowed and 35 penalty yards enforced against them.
Mistakes doom another drive
The pressure fell on the offense to answer, and Jahmyr Gibbs was initially up to the task. He carried the ball for gains of 4 and 36 yards on the first two plays to get into Bears territory.
But then, the Lions didn’t notice that the game clock had one more second than the play clock, and they took a delay of game penalty right at the end of the first quarter. That knocked the offense off schedule and led to a 3rd and 10.
Jared Goff found Gibbs wide open in the flat to his right, and the rookie running back likely would have picked up the first down. But he dropped the ball, and on the ensuing 4th down play, Goff telegraphed a pass to Sam LaPorta and threw an easy interception.
Tide turns in 2nd quarter
The Bears were backed up on their own 12-yard line, but Fields hit Cole Kmet for a 41-yard gain across midfield on the very first snap of the next drive.
The Lions stuffed Fields a yard short of the sticks on a 3rd and 3, setting up a critical 4th and 1. Instead of sticking with Fields, the Bears did the Lions a favor and pitched the ball deep into the backfield to Moore, who got stuffed by Ifeatu Melifonwu at the 39-yard line.
David Montgomery picked up 23 total yards on three consecutive runs to start the drive, but a botched screen pass and a false start on Jonah Jackson set up a 3rd and 8. Amon-Ra St. Brown took a screen five yards to set up 4th and 3.
The pocket was closing in on Goff when he found Donovan Peoples-Jones deep across the middle for a 17-yard gain to move the chains. It was the first catch for Peoples-Jones since being acquired at the trade deadline
Gibbs got some redemption for the dropped pass, taking a 3rd and 1 pitch 12 yards for a touchdown.
Riley Patterson missed the extra point, but that couldn’t slow Detroit’s momentum. For the first time, the Bears went three-and-out thanks to a tackle by John Cominsky, a sack by Hutchinson, and a second-straight pressure by Hutchinson that forced an incomplete pass on 3rd and 18.
The offense took over at its own 47-yard line, and Gibbs, LaPorta, and Goff took it from there. Detroit marched 53 yards on 11 plays and scored on a Josh Reynolds 8-yard catch that left only 26 seconds on the clock.
As a result, the Lions took a 13-10 lead into halftime.
Another 3rd quarter collapse
Dan Campbell has repeatedly talked about wanting the Lions to be better in the third quarter, but their struggles continued on Sunday.
The offense had a chance to really take control of the game coming out of the break, but instead, it went three-and-out.
Chicago took over at its own 28-yard line put together a strong drive. The most important play was a 3rd and 8 on the edge of field goal range. Jerry Jacobs got beat by Moore for a first down, and then committed a pass interference penalty on the next snap.
But Kerby Joseph made a great play on Moore in the end zone and the Lions ultimately stopped the Bears on the 7-yard line. A field goal tied the game at 13.
Detroit’s second drive of the quarter was as uninspiring as the first: false start, dropped interception, poor pass by Goff, dump-off pass well short of the sticks.
Once again, the Lions couldn’t pick up a first down, and they were forced to punt. Despite a 51-yard boot by Jack Fox, the Lions allowed a 31-yard return all the way to near midfield.
Levi Onwuzurike came through with a big play to stop the bleeding, drawing a holding penalty on first down. Reeves-Maybin knocked down a pass on 3rd and 9 to force a punt.
But it didn’t matter. For the third time in a row, the Lions went three-and-out, going backwards a yard before punting the ball back to the Bears in their own territory.
The defense made a stand once again, forcing a 4th and 13, but then Hutchinson made one of the most unimaginable mistakes of the season.
Chicago was trying to draw the Lions offsides, and the ball clearly was not going to be snapped, but Hutchinson jumped across the line of scrimmage, giving Fields a free play. He hit a wide open Moore for a 38-yard touchdown that completely changed the game.
The extra point was blocked, but the Bears took a 19-13 lead when the game should have remained tied.
On the second play of the ensuing drive, Goff dropped a snap that hit him right in the hands, and the Bears took over at the 29. Five plays later, on the second play of the fourth quarter, the Bears made it 26-13 with a Fields touchdown scramble on 3rd and goal from the 11.
Lions go down quietly
From there, the game was all but over. The Lions went down without much of a fight.
The offense remained without a second-half first down, turning the ball over on downs with an incredibly slow developing run play on 4th and 1 that never had a chance.
Chicago got the ball on the 28 as a result and kicked a field goal to extend its lead to 28-13.
The Lions finally picked up a few first downs, but their last gasp fell short courtesy of a drop by St. Brown on 2nd and 10.
A chance to make the final score look more respectable ended with a Goff interception on 4th and 24 just before the two-minute warning.
What loss means
The NFC North race is far from over. The Lions missed an opportunity to decrease their magic number to 2 games, and the Vikings and Packers remain within striking distance.
It’s also costly to lose another divisional game, in case a tiebreaker comes into play.
The Broncos, Cowboys, and Vikings (twice) remain on the schedule, so the Lions are not facing an easy ride to the postseason.
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Detroit, MI
Why Ben Johnson Coaching Chicago Bears Could Be Disaster
Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson’s name is being floated around as a top candidate for a head coaching vacancy within the NFC North.
Johnson is reportedly intrigued by the Chicago Bears’ head coaching job, which opened after the Bears fired Matt Eberflus on the day after Thanksgiving. Some analysts viewed the Lions’ 34-17 win over the Bears on Sunday, which featured one of the most unique trick plays of the season, as an audition from Johnson for the vacancy.
It’s worth noting that Johnson turned down interest from teams across the league to remain with the Lions after last season, and could be in position to do so again depending on how the team’s season finishes.
The Bears job is one of several expected to be open, but it’s the one that Johnson has been associated closest to at this point. With the success that Johnson’s offenses have had over his three years as coordinator, and the proximity that the Bears have to Detroit as members of the NFC North, it is a natural pairing.
However, there’s more elements to a potential pairing that could be cause for concern. For starters, the Bears have struggled mightily as of late. They haven’t finished with a winning record since their 12-4 season in 2018, and have made just one other playoff appearance (2020) in that time span.
There has been disfunction throughout the organization this season, as they’ve lost nine games in a row dating back to a Hail Mary loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 8.
Additionally, there’s concern about the longevity of general manager Ryan Poles, and the team’s ownership, the McCaskey family, has drawn criticism from the fan base for its decision-making.
Because the Bears have struggled, and looked hapless at points, Johnson likely wouldn’t be easily enticed to inherit this situation.
MORE: Ben Johnson Expected to Interview With Bears, ‘Intrigued’ by Job
However, the Bears also do have some elements working for them. Most notably, Johnson would get the opportunity to work with 2024 No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams. The USC product has shown some promise throughout a rookie season that has lacked significant wins, but one filled with promise.
Johnson had high praise for Williams when asked about him by Lions OnSI leading up to the Week 16 game. He has thrown for 3,271 yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions over the course of his first NFL campaign.
It’s easy to see why the Bears would be interested in Johnson. He’s the creative architect of one of the league’s best offenses and has played a vital role in Jared Goff’s career revival over the last several seasons.
What the 38-year-old coach has done with Goff has been well-documented. If he were to strike up a relationship of this nature with Williams, he could make the young passer into one of the league’s best talents at the position.
Williams has good weapons around him that could allow him to succeed in the right scheme. Chicago could also have another high draft pick depending on where they finish, which will allow whomever takes over as coach to add another highly touted piece to the roster.
Additionally, it’s expected that the Bears will break ground on a new stadium next year with hopes of finishing construction in 2028.
Ultimately, it’s been reported that Johnson won’t interview for jobs simply to say he did it. Rather, he is expected to be selective and interview for positions that he would want to take. If he does take a meeting with Chicago, which he is reportedly expected to do, it would be a sign that he would want the job.
Johnson’s focus in the current future remains on bringing a Super Bowl to Detroit this season. If he were to do that, it would make the potential pill of him taking over in Chicago much easier to swallow. However, the Bears’ interest will make the offseason very intriguing as Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn both navigate their futures.
Detroit, MI
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Detroit, MI
Auto shop hosting free oil change giveaway in Detroit on Christmas for those in need
DETROIT (WXYZ) — FastLane Oil Change in Detroit is giving back this holiday.
The shop on W. 8 Mile Road near the Soutfield Freeway is gifting 25 free oil changes and wiper blades for people in need Wednesday on Christmas Day.
And it doesn’t end there. Customers in line behind the first 15 cars will get half off a regularly priced oil change.
To add to the holiday giving, the business is helping a mother of nine get her car back on the road with new brakes, rotors, pads and filters for free. It’s something that she says significantly help her this holiday.
“A stress that was lifted off of my shoulders because this was something that was gonna need to be done sooner than later, but I was putting it off because it wasn’t in the budget, especially right now,” Rashanda Martin said.
In addition, the Blazin’ Grill right next door to the car shop is giving away 100 free meals on Wednesday. The free and half-off promotions will run from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. The offers are good for Christmas Day only for families and individuals in need.
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