Detroit Lions survive Bears late-game blunder to end Thanksgiving Day losing streak at 7

DETROIT – The highly motivated Detroit Lions have reached some franchise records, such as winning their 10th game in a row for the first time since 1934.

But victory didn’t come easy as a late-game blunder to run the clock out while in field goal range with a time-out remaining.

After taking a sack on second down and 20 by Za’Darius Smith for minus four yards, Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, with one time out in his pocket and 29 seconds remaining, decided to hurry his team back to the line of scrimmage, but the clock is ticking down.

On third down and 26, with 15 seconds left, he didn’t snap the ball until four seconds remained on the clock, which ended up being incomplete to rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze.

For some odd reason, instead of clocking the ball with at least 22 seconds, Williams didn’t snap the ball until four seconds remaining in the game, which led to an incompletion.

Not sure what he or his coaching staff were doing but they handed the Lions a Thanksgiving Day miracle as they’ve advance to 11-1 on the season for the first time in franchise history.

Ahead of the matchup, all fans could talk about was how the Lions had lost seven consecutive games on Thanksgiving, and after Thursday (Nov. 28) afternoon, that streak was over after a 23-20 victory inside Ford Field.

It was the 20th meeting on Thanksgiving between the Lions and Chicago Bears, winners of three straight on the festive holiday, winning in 2018, 2019, and 2021.

But the 85th Thanksgiving game in Lions history did not resemble those of the past as the new-look Lions came out cooking on their first drive of the game, marching down the field on a 15-play, 58-yard drive that was capped off by a Jake Bates 30-yard field goal.

The Lions defense forced Williams, the 2024 No. 1 NFL draft pick and his offense to a three-and-out on their opening possession, setting the stage for what could possibly come.

Hometown favorite Jared Goff hit his favorite target in wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, on a big third down and two for a 29-yard catch and run to extend the second drive of the day.

Running back Jahmyr Gibbs (Sonic the Hedgehog) picked up 52 yards on the drive to end the first quarter, while David Montgomery (Knuckles) picked up 30 yards before Goff tight end Sam LaPorta for a three-yard touchdown to start the second quarter to take a 10-0 lead.

It was Goff’s 21st passing touchdown of the season and LaPorta’s fourth receiving touchdown of the year.

The Lions returned to the field after another short outing by the Bears offense, which led to another chunk yard run of 13 yards by Montgomery.

The former took a screen pass for 14 yards before Goff hit receiver, Tim Patrick, for a 30-yard gain, followed by a late hit on Bears defensive end Byron Coward to move the ball into the red zone but ended with another Bates field goal of 36 yards to take a 13-0 lead.

The Thanksgiving snoozefest reached the six-minute mark, and the Bears' offense gained 14 yards on nine plays.

Gibbs broke off a 20-yard run on his sixth carry for 80 yards in the first half.

On fourth down and one, the Lions picked up another first down before eventually taking a 16-0 lead after yet another Bates field goal, this time for 48 yards.

The Bears, looking for a pulse, went for it on fourth down and three on there on 37-yard-line when he took a deep shot to former Lions running back D’Andre Swift on a wheel route but was broken up by linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez.

And for the 135th time under the leadership of head coach Dan Campbell, on fourth and one, the Lions went for it, getting a neutral zone infraction for an automatic first down with one minute remaining.

But Sonic lost his coins while running to make a house call as he fumbled after a big hit by cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. It was the first fumble lost by a Lions player since Thanksgiving Day, 2023, against the Green Bay Packers.

The Lions took a 16-0 lead heading into halftime. They held the Bears to 19 plays for 53 yards while only gaining two first downs in seven minutes and six seconds.

But the Bears got the ball to open the second half, and on their first possession of the third quarter with a steady diet of Swift followed by an 18-yard completion to veteran Keenan Allen.

On third down and 15, after taking a nasty hit, Williams connected with Allen again for a 31-yard catch and run touchdown to cap off a nine-play 74-yard drive to bring the game to 16-7.

Goff returned with a 19-yard screen pass to Montgomery to open the drive before being saved by a horsecollar tackle on Gibbs on a potential fourth down and four yards.

With the Turkey Day fans chomping at the bit for an explosive play, wide receiver Jameson Williams, on an end around, hurdled a Bears defender after a 15-yard gain.

With a much-needed score, Goff connected with LaPorta for their second touchdown of the game. It was LaPorta’s third game with two or more touchdowns of his young career.

Williams answered with a 19-yard pass to Rome Odunze before hitting Swift on screen for 29 yards, followed by a pass interference by veteran cornerback Amik Robertson, which set up the Bears first possession in the Lions red zone.

Williams connected with Allen again after a nasty route, resulting in a catch and run of nine yards for their second touchdown, bringing the score to 23-13.

The Bears made a much-needed stop, forcing the Lions' first punt of the game with 12:17 to play in the fourth quarter.

Williams, who was once cheered by football fans in Metro Detroit when he was drafted in the downtown area in 2024, had the city biting more than turkey as the game got tense.

He led the Bears on back-to-back touchdown drives and was getting the ball back down 10 points in the fourth.

But nose tackle D. J. Reader got an 11-yard sack to force another punt for the Lions. It was his second sack of the game.

Goff hit Patrick on an 18-yard catch and run on a must-have drive. Williams got hit with a taunting penalty during a dead ball foul to put the Lions behind the sticks on second and 22.

St. Brown caught a 17-yard reception to put the Lions in field goal range, but Bates missed his first field goal of the season, which went wide right from 48 yards.

Williams had the offense moving once again, moving the ball into the red zone with a perfectly thrown ball to DJ Moore for a 31-yard touchdown with five minutes and 36 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

After struggling in the first half, Williams was 17-32 for 211 yards and three touchdowns.

The Lions, needing a touchdown themselves while also taking time off the clock in the fourth quarter, handed the ball off to Montgomery three straight times for only eight yards. They punted for the second time in the game as the crowd moaned in disbelief.

But a 61-yard punt by hero Jack Fox placed the ball on the Bears' one-yard-line.

Allen caught a six-yard pass to help his offense move away from the goal line.

He tossed the ball at the referee because he wanted a flag for getting his helmet ripped off, forcing another play from his own endzone.

Moore hauled in another catch and run of 25 yards, but defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad entered the game and got a pivotal sack.

Moore and Swift get the tough first down before Williams, and then linebacker Ezekiel Turner and Smith get a half-a-sack.

On fourth down and four to go, Moore got a 21-yard catch and run, but Kmet got another pass interference on a pick-route, which brought the playback.

Cornerback Kindle Vildor picked up a 29-yard pass interference on fourth and 14 to put the Bears into field goal range.

Smith got the game-saving sack, causing the Bears to have the clock malfunction and let the clock run out.

Minus the blunder, Williams finished the game 20-39 for 256 yards and three touchdowns.

But Goff, who went 21-34 for 221 yards and two touchdowns, was named the John Madden Thanksgiving Most Valuable Player.

“That was awesome,” said Goff. “That was a crazy ending there and we fought hard. We fought to the ending there and we got it done. It was all of our first win on Thanksgiving. It was big.”

The Lions will look to keep their winning ways rolling after their mini-bye when they’ll play host to the Packers on Thursday Night Football.