5 storylines to watch as Bears host the Lions in Week 13
The Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions will face off in a match-up where both teams are in desperate need of a win. Chicago is looking to get back on track following an embarrassing 41-25 loss to the Green Bay Packers on national television, which would help break a five-game losing streak.
While the Lions game was one that’s been pegged as an easy win, that’s not necessarily the case with a Bears team that needs to prove it can win a game. The defense will be looking to get back on track following a letdown performance while the offense will attempt to play a consistent four quarters of football.
Here are five storylines to watch as the Bears head into their Week 13 game against the Lions.
Can Bears finally break five game losing streak?
AP Photo/Wade Payne
After starting 5-1, the Bears haven't won a game in nearly two months, which included some very winnable contests. Chicago's losing streak extended to five games with an embarrassing 41-25 loss to the Green Bay Packers, and it's fair to wonder if the Bears can win another game this season. Their best bet comes against the Lions, a team that might just be worse off than them. Things have gotten pretty ugly for Chicago over the last couple of months, but a loss to the Lions would certainly be rock bottom.
How will Lions look after firing HC Matt Patricia and GM Bob Quinn?
USA Today
It wasn't that it was a shock that that Lions parted ways with head coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn, it was a shock that it took so long for them to clean house. But a 41-25 Thanksgiving loss to the Houston Texans sent the franchise over the edge. Now, Detroit will play its first game since firing Patricia, and many are wondering what this Lions team will look like under interim head coach Darrell Bevell. While the Bears appear to be in a better place (because they haven't fired their GM or head coach yet), teams are 2-0 in the following game after firing their head coach this season.
Will Mitchell Trubisky’s reign vs. Lions continue?
Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Once again, it'll be Trubisky that gets the start at quarterback for the Bears, who will host the Lions in Week 13, but there's good news and bad news. The good news? Trubisky has succeeded against Patricia's Lions in the past. In those four games, Trubisky has posted a 4-0 record against Detroit, where he's had a 69.3 completion percentage with 12 touchdowns and one interception for a 124.4 passer rating. But the bad news is Patricia is no longer calling the shots, which could mean the end of Trubisky's success. We'll see if Trubisky can keep his hot streak going, which will be especially important for the Bears in breaking this five-game losing streak.
How will the Bears defense respond after brutal loss?
AP Photo/Morry Gash
The Bears defense has been the saving grace of this football team for the better part of a century, and that trend has continued during Matt Nagy's tenure. While Chicago's defense hasn't been the dominant force it was in 2018, it's been among the best in the league once again. Until last Sunday night, when they allowed Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense to walk all over them. It was an embarrassing effort that prompted Nagy to call out his defense, which was a shock considering this was their only poor performance of the season. Now, all eyes will be on the Bears defense when they welcome the Lions into Soldier Field, where they might be without Akiem Hicks and/or Khalil Mack.
Will key starters play for Chicago?
AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
The Bears have a crowded injury report heading into Sunday's game against the Lions, which includes some pretty big names that play key roles in the success of certain units. The big names on the list on defense include Hicks (hamstring) and Mack (back), who are both dubbed questionable. There is hope that both will be good to go against Detroit, but we'll have to wait and see on game day. On the offense, Chicago's top-two receivers Allen Robinson and rookie Darnell Mooney are both questionable with knee injuries. Nagy said Mooney didn't practice Friday for precautionary reasons while Robinson left practice early with a knee injury that could keep him out on Sunday. Among the other five players questionable for Week 13 include offensive linemen Charles Leno (toe), Germain Ifedi (calf) and Rashaad Coward (knee), as well as outside linebacker James Vaughters (knee) and inside linebacker Josh Woods (foot).
1
1
