The Chicago Bears (3-6) will face off against the Detroit Lions (2-6) on Sunday, where the Bears are looking to continue their offensive development.
Chicago is coming off a 35-32 loss to the Miami Dolphins (6-3), where Justin Fields set an NFL record with 178 rushing yards, the most by a quarterback in a regular season game. The Bears offense has put together three strong outings against some good defenses, and now they’ll face the 32nd-ranked Lions defense.
Here are seven things to know ahead of the Bears’ Week 10 game against the Lions.
1
The series
Chicago leads the all-time series against Detroit, with a 104-75-5 record. The Bears have dominated in recent history, winning seven of the last eight meetings. The Lions last beat the Bears back on Dec. 6, 2020, when Chicago fumbled away the game in a 34-30 loss. These two teams last met on Thanksgiving 2021, when the Bears escaped with a 16-14 win at Ford Field.
2
How they stack up
The Bears are averaging 20.8 points per game (21st in NFL) while the Lions are averaging 23.5 (12th). Chicago has the best rushing attack in the league, averaging 195.4 yards on the ground. Detroit is averaging 134.1 rushing yards per game, which ranks 9th. The Lions are averaging 243.1 passing yards per game (8th) while the Bears have the worst passing game in the league averaging 125.7 passing yards per game.
Chicago is allowing 24 points per game (21st) while Detroit is allowing 29.3 (32nd). The Bears have the 10th-best passing defense allowing 200.7 passing yards per game. Meanwhile, the Lions are allowing 268.5 yards through the air (29th). Chicago’s run defense has struggled and is allowing 147.2 yards on the ground (30th). Detroit’s defense is giving up 148.8 rushing yards per game (31st).
3
Bears are 0-2 vs. NFC North this season
Chicago hasn’t fared well in the NFC North this season, losing both of their matchups to the Packers (27-10 in Week 2) and Vikings (29-22, Week 5). Still, this might be the Bears’ best chance to get in the win column in the division against a Lions team that lost five straight before an upset win over Green Bay in Week 9.
4
Justin Fields has been on a roll
Justin Fields is developing into a star, and these last three games have been night and day from his early-season struggles. The Bears have unlocked a new element of their offense with Fields’ elite athleticism, which was on display in his record-setting performance against the Dolphins. Fields rushed for 178 yards, the most ever by a quarterback in the regular season. It was the third straight impressive outing, and he’s certainly turned a corner in the last three weeks. Now, Fields has a chance to continue his dominance against a bad Lions defense.
5
The Bears offense has averaged 31.3 points in the last 3 games
The mini-bye week was a turning point for this Chicago offense, which has completely turned things around after a brutal first six games. That extended time off allowed Luke Getsy to fix what had gone wrong and adapt his game plan to fit the strengths of his players, notably Justin Fields. Since that brutal Week 6 loss to the Commanders (where they scored seven points), the Bears have averaged 31.3 points per game over the last three games. Now, they’ll face a Detroit defense that’s allowing 29.3 points per game this season.
6
Lions have the second-worst rushing defense
The Bears have the top rushing attack in the NFL, averaging 195.4 yards per game. It’s a group effort between running backs David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert and leading rusher, quarterback Justin Fields. Chicago has rushed for 220-plus yards in four straight games, so it’s good news they’ll be facing the second-worst run defense in the Lions. Also, Detroit has allowed 40-plus rushing yards to four of the last five quarterbacks they’ve faced heading into Week 10, per Chris Maltby. That’s great news for Fields, who is coming off a record-setting outing where he rushed for 178 yards.
7
Betting odds
The Bears are betting favorites for just the third time this season. Chicago is a 3-point home favorite against the Lions, per Tipico Sportsbook. The over/under for the game is set at 48.5.
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