Lions vs. Bears: Chicago’s Defense Dominates in 13-7 Victory over Detroit
Published by Matt Eurich on October 23, 2012
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears beat the Detroit Lions 13-7 on Monday night, improving to 5-1 on the 2012 NFL season.
The Bears defense picked up where it left off against the Jaguars two weeks ago, forcing the Lions to go three-and-out on their first possession and the Bears’ offense capitalized on a six-play drive that led to a seven-yard touchdown catch by Brandon Marshall.
The home crowd gasped in horror in the second quarter as Jay Cutler struggled to get back on his feet following a sack by Ndamukong Suh. Cutler jogged off the field and was replaced by backup Jason Campbell before returning one play later.
Campbell again came in for relief of Cutler near the end of the first half while Cutler went to the locker room for X-rays. The Bears stated that Cutler had bruised ribs, and he returned to the field to begin the second half.
The Bears game plan changed in the second half, relying more on the running game and short passes with Cutler clearly not 100 percent.
Cutler still managed to keep his connection with wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who finished the game with six catches for 81 yards and a touchdown.
The Bears again relied heavily on the running game with Matt Forte rushing for 96 yards on 22 carries and Michael Bush picking up 36 yards on six carries.
Much like the weeks prior, the Bears defense was as stifling and opportunistic as ever, forcing two fumbles in the red zone, one each from running backs Mikel LeShoure and Joique Bell as well as recovering a fumble by punt returner Stefan Logan in the third quarter that led to a Robbie Gould field goal.
The defense was able to sack quarterback Matt Stafford three times, one each from Israel Idonije and Julius Peppers, as well as half sacks credited to both Stephen Paea and Shea McClellin.
Charles Tillman essentially stopped All-Pro wide receiver Calvin Johnson, holding him to just 34 yards on three catches, most notably knocking a ball out of Johnson’s hand in the end zone in the third quarter.
The Lions appeared to be moving the ball well near the end of the fourth quarter but Stafford was picked off by D.J. Moore with just minutes left on the clock. The Lions were able to get the ball back and finally put their first points on the board when Stafford connected with Ryan Broyles on a 12-yard touchdown throw with 30 seconds left.
The Bears have a short week this week with the 1-5 Carolina Panthers coming into Soldier Field on Sunday.
Around the NFC North
The Vikings continued to prove the doubters wrong, improving to 5-2 on the season after a 21-14 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Quarterback Christian Ponder struggled, going just 8-of-17 for 58 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Adrian Peterson continued his dominance, rushing for 153 yards and one touchdown.
Green Bay built off its momentum from the Week 6 victory over the then-undefeated Houston Texans, beating the St. Louis Rams, 30-20. Aaron Rodgers threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns while Jordy Nelson finished with eight catches for 122 yards and a score.
Standings
Chicago Bears: 5-1
Minnesota Vikings: 5-2
Green Bay Packers: 4-3
Detroit Lions: 2-4
Matt Eurich is a contributor to Bearsbacker.com. Follow Bears Backer on Facebook and Twitter for up to the minute news about the Bears. Also, check out Matt’s work on BleacherReport.com and follow him on Twitter @MattEurich.
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