In must-win mode the final two weeks of the season to keep their playoff hopes alive, the Detroit Lions handled their business in a big way Sunday in their home finale against the Chicago Bears.
Quarterback Jared Goff and the Lions' offense were clicking on all cylinders, and after a bit of a slow start, Detroit's defense woke up and wreaked havoc to help give the Lions a 41-10 victory.
The win improves Detroit's record to 8-8 on the season and sets up a huge matchup next week in Green Bay against the Packers with a playoff berth potentially on the line.
Goff had the second highest quarterback rating in the NFL in the month of December (109.3) and continued his torrid play into January and the new year. He threw for 255 yards and three scores.
Detroit's run game also got back on track after a month-long lull to the tune of 266 yards. Both Jamaal Williams and D’Andre Swift had rushing touchdowns in the contest. Swift also caught a touchdown and finished with 117 total yards. Williams rushed for 144 yards (6.5 average) and a score.
Fields had 105 rushing yards in the first quarter for Chicago and the Bears scored on each of their first two possessions, but the Lions' defense held Fields to just 27 rushing yards the rest of the way. After a touchdown and field goal to start the game, Chicago went punt, punt, lost fumble, interception, punt, punt, punt, punt, turnover on downs and punt the rest of the way.
Rookies Aidan Hutchinson, James Houston (3.0) and Josh Paschal (2.0) all recorded sacks in the game for the Lions. Hutchinson also had an interception, which makes him the first rookie in NFL history to produce a season with at least 7.5 sacks, three interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
Houston had 3.0 sacks, which gives him 8.0 on the season and the NFL lead for rookies. Houston has only played in six games, which makes that stat even more impressive. Detroit recorded six sacks in the game. The two sacks for Paschal were his first two of the season.
Tight end Brock Wright caught two touchdowns in the contest, giving him four on the year and giving the Detroit tight end room 12 on the year, a new franchise record.
QB comparison: Goff was exceptionally good in this one. He finished 21-of-29 (72 percent) passing for 255 yards with three touchdowns, no interceptions and a 133.5 passer rating. It's Goff's fourth game in his last five he's finished with a rating north of 100.0
Fields completed just seven of his 21 passes for 75 yards with a touchdown and an interception for a 40.8 rating. He did rush 10 times for 132 yards, but also lost a fumble.
Key moment: Ahead 21-10 late in the second quarter, Houston forced a Fields fumble that Hutchinson recovered at midfield with just over two and a half minutes to go before halftime. Goff and the offense were able to move the ball down the field to the Bears' 4-yard line and also run most of the time off the clock before a Michael Badgley 23-yard field goal increased their lead to 24-10.
It was an important sequence because the Lions got the ball to begin the second half and took their opening possession of the half 75 yards in six plays capped off with a Williams 2-yard score to increase their lead to 31-10. It was a big 10-point swing to end the first half and start the second half.
Up next: at Green Bay (7-8)
