Matthew Stafford On Point in Detroit Lions’ Thanksgiving Win Over Chicago Bears
By Michael Compton
@MWCompton
Tim Fuller-USA Today Sports
The Detroit Lions put their offensive woes behind them on Thanksgiving, utilizing a reignited aerial attack led by quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Calvin Johnson to defeat the Chicago Bears 34-17 at Ford Field.
The Lions’ offense, which failed to score a touchdown in the last two games, started slowly in their annual Thanksgiving Day game, allowing the Bears to jump out to a 14-0 early lead. The Lions shook off the slow start, however, and roared back. Following a fumble that led to an early Bears score, Stafford broke the Lions’ touchdown-less streak, connecting with Johnson for a perfectly orchestrated 25-yard touchdown pass.
The Bears brought pressure on the play, but Stafford saw it coming and got rid of the ball quickly, while Johnson split safety Brock Vereen and cornerback Kyle Fuller to corral the pass for the score. It was vintage Stafford-Johnson, something Lions fans haven’t seen a lot of this season, and it was the first touchdown for the Lions in 146 snaps.
The Lions scored on their next two drives as well, to take a 24-14 lead into the locker room at halftime. Stafford was sharp from start to finish, completing 34-of-45 pass attempts for 390 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Like Stafford, Johnson had a field day against a banged-up Bears defense that lost defensive end Cornelius Washington (chest injury) and safety Chris Conte (concussion evaluation) during the game.
Entering the contest needing only 94 yards to cross the 10,000-yard threshold in career receiving yards, Johnson had the mark by halftime. He is the quickest receiver to achieve the milestone, doing so in 115 games, breaking Torry Holt’s record by one game. Johnson showed no signs of a tender ankle that has hobbled him for much of the season and concluded the contest with 11 receptions for 146 yards and two touchdowns.
Following a pair of losses, the Lions have re-established themselves as contenders in the competitive NFC North. If the Green Bay Packers fall to the New England Patriots on Sunday, the Lions will take over first place in the division thanks to one of their most dominating performances of the season.
Michael Compton is a Jacksonville Jaguars writer for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter at @MWCompton and connect with him on Google.
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