The calendar may have said Thanksgiving, but it was beginning to feel a lot like September as the Chicago Bears have a winning streak for the first time in two months, beating the Detroit Lions 24-20 to improve to 6-6 on the season.
Both teams landed blows on their first two drives, scoring touchdowns to make the score 7-7. The Lions attempted to pull away but never led by more than 10 points. Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky then led his team to touchdown drives in the third and fourth quarter, putting the Bears ahead for good, while the defense survived a last-ditch effort from rookie quarterback David Blough, making his first NFL debut on the national stage.
Like sides at a Thanksgiving dinner, there were many different takeaways from this game, such as the continued strong play of inside linebacker Roquan Smith, what’s going on with special teams and Chris Tabor, how the referees could miss a blatant roughing the passer call on Trubisky, or how valuable wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson is to this team. But here are my 5 takeaways that stuck out to me most during this latest Bears win.
1. Mitchell Trubisky finally played like it was 2018
Ever since he suffered his shoulder injury back in 2018 when the Bears defeated the Vikings, Trubisky simply hasn’t been the same. Prior to the injury, he had been on a heater, throwing for over 300 yards four times in six weeks and averaging a quarterback rating of 112.3 during that span.
After over a year, he finally returned to that form, at least for one game, throwing for 338 yards and three touchdowns with a 118.1 quarterback rating. For the most part, Trubisky looked sharp, leading the Bears to their first opening-drive touchdown since Week 4 and orchestrating a 90-yard scoring drive late in the fourth quarter that ended up being the game winner.
His day wasn’t perfect, as he did look timid at times while running and under-threw wide receiver Allen Robinson on a crossing route, resulting in an interception, but it’s clear this was easily his best game since last year’s win against the Lions at Soldier Field. The question is, can he build on it and string together these types of performances to mount one final playoff push?
2. Anthony Miller has climbed out of rock bottom
Nearly two weeks ago during the first half of the Bears-Rams game, Anthony Miller committed offensive pass interference, had a ball bounce off his hands into the arms of a Rams defender, then proceeded to flex and made an “M” symbol with his fingers. After games that consisted of running wrong routes and drops, this was his lowest moment as a Bear.
Since then? He’s been on a tear, becoming more involved in the offensive game plan over the last two weeks, culminating in Thursday’s breakout performance. Miller caught nine passes for 140 yards, including three passes on the Bears’ go-ahead touchdown drive and saw the most targets among pass catchers with 13. Once a candidate to see less playing, Miller is thriving with Trubisky and appears to be refocused as the Bears enter the fourth quarter of their season.
3. The Bears still cannot get out of their own way
Despite the win and strong performances from key players, the Bears continue to trip over themselves when it comes to penalties. The team committed 10 penalties on the day, including one on the opening kickoff (even though it did lead to a 50-yard return by Patterson) and had multiple infractions that stalled promising drives.
Early in the second quarter, down by 7, the Bears were threatening as they drove into Lions’ territory. But a pair of consecutive penalties (a block in the back by wide receiver Javon Wims and a facemask on right guard Rashaad Coward) resulted in a first-and-32, ultimately leading to a turnover on downs. Whether it’s a hold on the offensive line or offsides on the defense, the Bears must be more disciplined in all three phases.
4. Prince Amukamara became the jester on Thursday
A solid season was instantly forgotten on Thanksgiving as Bears cornerback Prince Amukamara got carved like a turkey on multiple occasions against the Lions. After the Bears scored on their opening drive, it took Blough just three plays to respond, hitting wide receiver Kenny Golladay for a 75-yard score as he blew past Amukamara.
It began a long day for the veteran defensive back, who struggled in coverage and, if not for safety Eddie Jackson’s interception, may have cost the team the game as Golladay beat Amukamara yet again on a deep route.
He fell for double moves and was a liability against Golladay, who popped off for 158 yards on just four catches. Up to that point, Amukamara was having a good season overall. But with questions already surrounding his 2020 status, this game was not a good look for him.
5. Ugly wins are still wins as this team pushes for the postseason
Outside of wins over the Redskins and Vikings, the Bears have won ugly. But at this point in the season with playoff aspirations still somewhat attainable, does it matter? The Bears continue to play down to their opponent, nearly getting beat by a third-string rookie quarterback and falling behind early to an inferior opponent.
This team is clearly flawed, from offensive inefficiencies to special teams blunders. But when you’re fighting for your playoff lives, a win extends your season, no matter how ugly it may be. With just four games left to go, coach Matt Nagy’s squad can only hope to muster up a string of ugly wins to even have a chance at the postseason. The roster and coaching staff will likely be retooled in the offseason and mistakes will hopefully be fixed. But for now? This imperfect team will forge ahead and attempt to secure any win to keep the season alive.
