Ford Field was buzzing on Sunday, September 14, as the Detroit Lions completely dismantled the Chicago Bears in a 52-21 rout. The one-sided affair gave Detroit fans the kind of statement win they had been waiting for.
From the start, it was clear the Bears had no real chance. The Lions came out sharp, and their execution on both sides of the ball showed their preparation. Jared Goff was flawless, finishing with a near-perfect passer rating of 156.0 while throwing for 334 yards and five touchdowns. His favorite target, Amon-Ra St. Brown, hauled in three of those scoring passes.
On the other side, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams had some bright moments, completing 207 yards with two touchdowns, both caught by Rome Odunze, who ended with 128 yards on seven receptions. Former Lion D’Andre Swift added 63 rushing yards and a touchdown for Chicago.
Johnson Reacts to Tough Loss
After the game, Ben Johnson faced questions about Detroit head coach Dan Campbell’s aggressive fourth-down calls. Having worked closely with Campbell for years, Johnson wasn’t surprised.
“What do you expect him to do? It’s fourth-and-goal — they don’t kick field goals,” Johnson explained in his postgame remarks. “That’s just who they are. He went for it because that’s what they believe in.”
Observers noted that Johnson’s handshake with Campbell after the game was brief and not particularly warm. Analyst Kole Noble summed it up: “Whether Campbell meant to run up the score or not, the outcome speaks for itself. A 52-21 loss is flat-out embarrassing.”
Johnson on Jared Goff
Interestingly, before the matchup, Johnson had nothing but respect for his former quarterback. Speaking on September 12, he praised Goff’s resilience:
“He’s one of the toughest competitors I’ve been around in this league. He’s seen the highs and the lows, but every week he finds a way to respond. I knew we’d face his best.”
That prediction proved right. Pro Football Focus currently ranks Goff as a “Tier 3a starter” — reliable, with flashes of elite play — and slotted him ninth among all quarterbacks. Over the past two years, Goff has guided one of the NFL’s most efficient offenses, earning an 84.8 passing grade, seventh-best in the league.
Detroit couldn’t have asked for a more dominant performance, and doing it against the Bears made it all the sweeter.
