The Lions opened the game with a methodical 15-play, 58-yard drive that was capped by Jake Bates’ 30-yard field goal, giving Detroit a 3-0 lead. Goff completed 5 of 7 passes for 32 yards and Montgomery rushed for 27 yards on six carries.
Detroit extended its lead to 10-0 on Goff’s 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end Sam LaPorta across the back of the end zone on the first play of the second period. Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 52 yards on five carries on the 10-play, 90-yard drive.
Bates made it 13-0 on the Lions’ third possession with a 36-yard field goal. Detroit settled for the kick after having first-and-goal at the 4. It came one snap after Gervon Dexter Sr. sacked Goff on third-and-goal from the 9, a play that was keyed by T.J. Edwards pressuring Goff on a blitz up the middle.
After Bates’ 48-yard field goal widened the margin to 16-0 with 3:11 left in the half, the Bears turned the ball over on downs at their own 37 when Williams was unable to connect with Swift on a wheel route down the right sideline.
The Lions were in position to increase their lead. But Tyrique Stevenson drilled Gibbs after a 13-yard catch to the Bears’ 6, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Dexter.
After taking a big hit on a 9-yard scramble, Williams fired a 31-yard touchdown pass to Allen to cap the Bears’ opening drive of the second half, cutting the deficit to 16-7 with 9:47 left in the third quarter.
The Lions answered, extending their lead to 23-7 on Goff’s 4-yard TD pass to LaPorta. The 11-play, 78-yard drive was sustained by a 15-yard penalty on Kyler Gordon for a horse collar tackle.
Williams and Allen then connected for a second TD, a 9-yarder, early in the fourth quarter. After failing to convert the subsequent two-point conversion, the Bears trailed 23-13.
After Bates missed a 45-yard field goal attempt midway through the fourth quarter, Williams lofted a 31-yard TD pass to Moore, cutting the deficit to 23-20 with 5:36 remaining in the game.
With the loss, the Bears fell to 4-8 on the season. They’ll return to action a week from Sunday when they visit the 49ers in San Francisco.
