Free Press sports writers predict the Detroit Lions’ game vs. the Chicago Bears on Sunday at Soldier Field (1 p.m., Fox):
Dave Birkett
The Lions got a much-needed morale boost with their win over the Packers last week, and they’re counting on that momentum to springboard them to their first road victory under Campbell on Sunday. Stopping Justin Fields and the Bears’ rushing attack won’t be easy. Chicago’s running game is sneaky and versatile and exceptionally hard to defend. But the Bears do not do much else well on either side of the ball. This could be a get-well game for a Lions offense that has averaged 12 points per game over the past month. If Goff avoids turnovers and the Lions are halfway competent defensively, they should win. The pick: Lions 31, Bears 24.
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Carlos Monarrez
Soldier Field. Mobile quarterback. Desperate team playing at home riding a two-game losing streak. The Bears have a lot going for them in this game, but if the Lions could beat Aaron Rodgers and the Packers last week, they have a reasonable chance of beating a 3-6 Bears team that has allowed 84 points the past two games. And don’t think the Lions aren’t motivated to get their first road win for Dan Campbell, which would also give him his first winning streak and likely vault the team to second place in the division. The pick: Lions 30, Bears 28.
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Jeff Seidel
Some of the pressure was lifted off Dan Campbell, thanks to Rodgers having one of the worst games of his career. Now, here come the Bears. This is the kind of game the Lions have to win, if you want to believe there is progress. But stopping a mobile quarterback has never been easy for the Lions’ D. So if they took one step forward last week, get ready for the typical Lions two steps back. The pick: Bears 28, Lions 21.
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Shawn Windsor
They’ll win because of course they will win, the players don’t care about draft positioning. Jared Goff and the offense have struggled lately and will again in Chicago but the defense has looked better and the Bears are happy to help with their own befuddled attack. The pick: Lions 19, Bears 16.
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