,
Dave Birkett
,
Shawn Windsor
| Detroit Free Press
Detroit Lions poised for regime-change win against Chicago Bears
Free Press sports writers Dave Birkett and Carlos Monarrez preview Sunday’s Detroit Lions game against the Chicago Bears.
Free Press sports writers make their predictions for the Detroit Lions game at the Chicago Bears on Sunday (1 p.m., Fox).
Carlos Monarrez
All you need to know about this game is that the Lions have fired their coach and GM, they’re 1-4 in their past five games — and they’re considered the hot team in this contest. This should be the last of the winnable games for the Lions and maybe they’ll get a bump from interim coach Darrell Bevell’s different approach. But Mitchell Trubisky is the X factor for the Bears, who have lost five straight. While he’s been awful this season, Trubisky is a Lions killer who has a 4-2 record with 14 touchdowns and four interceptions against them. The Bears pull this one out, but not by much. Pick: Bears 21, Lions 17
READ MORE: This is how the fake Matt Patricia burner account came to be
Dave Birkett
The Lions lost four of five November games, all by double digits. The Bears have lost five straight and have not won since Oct. 18. Neither team is good right now, but expect the Lions to get a “Bevell bounce” from the change at head coach. Interim head coaches are 13-9 in their first games over the past 10 seasons, and Lions players this week spoke with renewed enthusiasm. I don’t think a major turnaround is in the cards. The defense is not good enough for that and there are injury problems lingering on offense. But against a mediocre Bears team with a subpar quarterback in Trubisky, the Lions should be able to pull out a win. Pick: Lions 24, Bears 17
Shawn Windsor
The Lions don’t beat NFC North teams. They can’t play defense. They’re missing their best receiver and running back. All good reasons to pick Chicago … except for this: Matt Patricia is no longer the coach. Call it the lighten-the-mood-in-the-locker-room bounce. Pick: Lions 23, Bears 19