Free Press sports writer Evan Petzold grades the Detroit Lions in their 41-10 win over the Chicago Bears at Ford Field:
Quarterback
A heads-up play from Jared Goff in the first quarter summarized everything he has been for the Lions. They tried to pass the ball on fourth-and-4 from the Bears’ 35-yard-line, but without any open receivers, Goff tossed the ball to a double-covered DJ Chark in the end zone. Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon was flagged for pass interference, and the Lions moved up to the 1-yard line. Two plays later, Goff threw his first touchdown to tight end Brock Wright. All day long, Goff made smart decisions and embraced the role of game manager, slowly chewing away at the Bears’ defense on seemingly every drive until the fourth quarter. He completed 21 of 29 passes for 255 yards and three touchdowns. Goff, who completed passes to 10 different players by halftime, hasn’t thrown an interception since Nov. 6 against the Green Bay Packers, extending his streak to eight games. Grade: A
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Running backs
The Lions emphasized efficiency in the running game, following 2.6 yards per carry against the Carolina Panthers in last week’s 37-23 loss, and followed through on their plan against the Bears. This time around, the Lions totaled 265 rushing yards and averaged 6.8 yards per carry. D’Andre Swift put his electrifying speed on display and touched the ball more than 10 times for the first time since Dec. 4, logging 11 carries for 78 yards and one touchdown. He also caught four passes for 39 yards. Lead back Jamaal Williams had 22 carries for 144 yards and one touchdown. The Lions’ offensive line opened holes, and the running backs did their part. Grade: A
Wide receivers/tight ends
By halftime, Goff completed passes to 10 different players. By the end of the game, his 29 targets were spread evenly amongst the pass catchers. Amon-Ra St. Brown led the way with four receptions for 62 yards, and Kalif Raymond hauled in three passes for 40 yards, but Wright shined brightest with three catches for 13 yards and two touchdowns. Wright also provided several key blocks to aid the running game. His second score marked the 12th touchdown for a Lions tight end this season, a new team record. Rookie wide receiver Jameson Williams didn’t catch either of his two targets, but he helped the offense with a 40-yard run on a reverse play in the third quarter. Grade: A
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Offensive line
The Bears’ defense entered the game with 18 sacks this season and exited with 20 sacks, taking down Goff in the third quarter and backup quarterback Nate Sudfeld in the fourth. The Lions — allowing zero quarterback hits — gave Goff plenty of time to make decisions, along with opening lanes for the running backs. On Swift’s touchdowns, in particular, the offensive line executed superb blocking up front and in space. A key block from Evan Brown allowed Swift to turn on the jets for his second touchdown. Simply put, the Lions’ offensive line — the team’s biggest strength — flexed its muscles against a weak defense. Grade: A
Defensive line
The Lions struggled to contain Justin Fields in the pocket throughout the first quarter, as he escaped pressure and scampered for 105 yards on five carries, but from then on, the defense held him to 27 rushing yards on five carries the rest of the way. Early in the second quarter, Josh Paschal and James Houston sacked Fields twice in three plays to force a three-and-out. With 2:50 left in the second quarter, Houston tackled Fields from behind and forced a fumble at midfield, with Aidan Hutchinson recovering the ball. Not long after, Hutchinson intercepted Fields to end the first half. The Lions, essentially perfect in the final three quarters, logged seven sacks, five tackles for a loss and nine quarterback hits. Grade: A
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Linebackers
On the first drive of the game, nickelback Will Harris tried to switch his coverage of tight end Cole Kmet to linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez, but Rodriguez stayed with his initial assignment (running back Tristan Ebner). Due to the miscommunication, Kmet scored a wide-open 12-yard touchdown to open the scoring. On the Bears’ second drive, Fields escaped the pocket and juked linebacker Alex Anzalone on his way to a 60-yard gain. Like the rest of the defense, the Lions’ linebackers struggled for one quarter and dominated for the next three quarters. Overall, the linebackers helped corral Fields — his legs and his arm — and limited the Bears to nine first downs. Anzalone paced the defense with seven tackles. Grade: A-
Defensive backs
Before Kmet’s touchdown, with the Bears facing a third-and-10, cornerback Jerry Jacobs was flagged for holding wide receiver Chase Claypool. The Bears received a fresh set of downs and marched down the field. But in the big picture, Fields looked miserable in the passing game. He completed 7 of 21 passes for 75 yards, one touchdown and one interception, as the Bears went 3-for-13 in third-down situations. The Lions’ defensive backs were excellent in sticking to their assignments as the defensive linemen and linebackers pressured the quarterback into poor decisions. Grade: A-
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Special teams
Michael Badgley connected on his first field goal, a 23-yard attempt to put the Lions ahead 24-10, only for Ebner — the Bears’ kick returner — to carry the ball 63 yards on the ensuing kickoff. Fields, seeking a big play, took over on offense with seven seconds remaining in the first half, but Hutchinson intercepted him and sent the Lions to the locker room with a 14-point lead. Badgley, a perfect 2-for-2 on field goals and 5-for-5 on extra points, chipped in a 41-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to complete the scoring. Kalif Raymond returned three punts for 16 yards; Jack Fox punted three times for 150 yards. Grade: A
Coaching
There were several reasons to doubt the Lions coming into Sunday’s game. They were coming off their worst performance of the season, allowing 570 yards (320 rushing yards) to the Panthers, and they failed to contain Fields in Week 10, as he ran 13 times for 147 yards and two touchdowns. But Dan Campbell and his coaching staff had the Lions ready to respond. Campbell promised a bounce-back result, and he delivered on his word. Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn promised a repeat of last week wouldn’t happen, and it didn’t. In several ways, the Lions reminded their fans — and the football world — that this is a dangerous team capable of winning. Grade: A
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold.