Detroit Lions Hold Off Bears’ Late Charge to Extend Win Streak to 10
Miami (AFP) – The Detroit Lions held on for a 23-20 victory over the Chicago Bears on Thursday, surviving a late surge to claim their tenth consecutive win.
Jared Goff led the Lions to a Thanksgiving Day win, pushing their record to 11-1 for the first time in franchise history.
The game, part of the Thanksgiving Day tripleheader, came down to the final moments. Chicago’s attempt to mount a game-winning drive faltered, allowing Detroit to hang on to the victory.
Detroit had a commanding 16-0 lead at halftime, courtesy of three field goals and a 3-yard touchdown pass from Goff to Sam LaPorta. However, Chicago stormed back in the second half with three touchdowns, two of which came from a connection between quarterback Caleb Williams and wide receiver Keenan Allen.
When Williams connected with D.J. Moore for a 31-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter, the Bears pulled within three points. Chicago’s defense then forced Detroit to punt, giving Williams one last chance to either tie the game or secure a win.
Despite two penalties that slowed their progress, the Bears still had a chance to attempt a game-tying field goal with time running low. However, instead of calling a timeout to set up for a better kick, the Bears tried to run another play, wasting valuable seconds. With only six seconds remaining, Williams threw an incomplete pass as the clock expired, ending the game.
Bears tight end Cole Kmet expressed disbelief over the final moments, stating, “I just saw everyone coming on the field and thought, ‘What… just happened?'”
Lions quarterback Jared Goff admitted the ending was tense but praised his team’s defense for holding firm. “It was a crazy finish, but our defense stood strong,” he said. “They bend but don’t break, and they made the key plays when we needed them most.”
Goff completed 21 of 34 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns, while running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery combined for 175 yards on the ground.
Cowboys Defeat Giants in NFC East Showdown
In another Thanksgiving matchup, the Dallas Cowboys defeated the New York Giants 27-20, marking their eighth consecutive win over their division rivals. Both teams were missing their starting quarterbacks, with Dallas relying on backup Cooper Rush and the Giants turning to Drew Lock in place of Tommy DeVito, who was sidelined with an arm injury.
Dallas took a 13-7 lead in the second quarter after DeMarvion Overshown intercepted Lock and returned it 23 yards for a touchdown. The Cowboys pulled further ahead in the third quarter, with Rush connecting on a 2-yard touchdown pass to Brandin Cooks and Rico Dowdle rushing in for another touchdown.
Despite being sacked six times, Lock showed some resilience, running for an 8-yard touchdown with just over two minutes remaining. However, the Cowboys were able to control the clock and secure the win, their first home victory of the season.
Later on Thursday, the Green Bay Packers were set to host the Miami Dolphins.
