Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions Match Player Stats: Poor time management towards the end cost Bears the game as the Lions win first Thanksgiving game after 7 years

The first NFL game of the 2024 Thanksgiving, the clash between two first overall picks played out to be slightly different from what most of us imagined. The first overall pick of the 2016 NFL draft Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions established their dominance in the first half. But the second half belonged to the 2024 first overall pick Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears.  

The Lions were never 11-1 in the franchise’s history but Dan Campbell and co. got that achievement unlocked tonight. This was also their first Thanksgiving win in 8 years as they were 0-7 for the last 7 thanksgiving games. The Lions have now won 10 games in a row while improving their home record to 5-1 this season. The Bears are now 4-8 through Week 13 as they suffer their 6th loss on the trot. 

Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears Match Box Score

Detroit set the tone in the first quarter with 9 first downs while dominating the possession with over 13 minutes of control time. The Bears failed to gain a first down in Q1. The Bears remained pointless in the first half as Detroit led 16-0.

But they did comeback with 3 touchdowns, thanks to Caleb Williams, wide receivers Keenan Allen and DJ Moore. Williams was just 5/15 with 34 passing yards in the first half. But the second half surge from the Bears’ rookie QB got the Lions backed up against the wall. Poor time management towards the end of the last quarter is one of the reasons why the Bears lost this game.

Here is the Bears vs. Lions match box score.

The Lions had a couple of opportunities to score on the first drive. But the Bears improved their stats to 21-1 (previously 20-1) for not allowing teams to score on the opening drive. Jake Bates went 17 for 17 on his FG attempts this season after making his first field goal of the night. His successful field goal gave the Lions a 3-0 lead in Q1. 

The first touchdown of the night came in the second quarter after a 3-yard pass from Jared Goff was collected by Sam LaPorta. During the drive for the 1st Lions TD, Gibbs carried the ball 5 times for 56 yards. 

Two field goals, 36-yard and 48-yard, from kicker Jake Bates saw the Lions go 16-0 up. The Bears struggled to get themselves going on the scorecard till halftime.  

The Bears got going in Q3 with a 31-yard touchdown pass from Caleb Williams to Keenan Allen, who collected his 4th touchdown pass this season. Caleb Williams also set the Bears all-time rookie record for touchdown passes by a rookie (12) with this touchdown pass.

An 11-play, 78-yard drive from the Detroit Lions concluded with a 1-yard touchdown pass from Jared Goff to TE Sam LaPorta, who scored his second touchdown of the night! This was LaPorta’s 15th-career receiving touchdown, which tied him for 4th most by any tight end in the NFL through two career seasons. 

The Bears responded back with a touchdown of their own at the beginning of the last quarter. A 9-yard pass from Bear QB Caleb Williams was caught by Keenan Allen for his 2nd TD of the night. The Bears went for a 2-point conversion but failed to convert it. 

There was also an injury scare for the Bears wideout as he was helped off the field after getting rolled up from behind. But he was soon out, running and got a thumbs up from the Bears’ athletic trainer.

In Q4, Jake Bates missed his first field goal of the season, a 45-yard attempt. The Bears scored their third touchdown of the game as Caleb Williams threw his third touchdown pass in the second half! DJ Moore caught a 31-yard pass from Williams for his first touchdown of the night.

Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions Player Stats

While the Bears couldn’t get things going in the first half, the second half surely belonged to them. They pushed the Detroit Lions, one of the most dominant sides in the 2024 NFL season, to the limit.  

Detroit Lions Player Stats

Here are the stats for the top player from the Detroit Lions in today’s game.

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Chicago Bears Player Stats

Following are the stats for the best performers from the Chicago Bears.

(Image Credits: David Reginek -Imagn Images)