Bears vs. Lions: What to Watch 4

Those were the days: Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky (10) rushes for this four-yard run to give the Bears a 26-0 lead in the first half against the Lions on Nov. 11, 2018. Trubisky threw for 355 yards and three touchdowns and had a 148.6 passer rating in the 34-22 victory at Soldier Field. | Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Key matchup

Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky has a 124.4 rating in four games against the Lions under Matt Nagy. But he has been trending downward in efficiency — from 148.6 (three touchdowns, no interceptions) in 2018 to 131 (3-0) and 118.1 (3-1) in 2019 to 104.2 (3-0) in the 2020 season opener. In that game, he had a 58.3 rating in the first half, was spared by Justin Coleman’s dropped interception, completed just 55.6% of his passes (20-for-36) and only rallied for three second-half touchdowns -after starting cornerbacks Coleman and Desmond Trufant left with injuries.

Then again, the Lions’ secondary is not in much better shape this week than it was in Week 1. Trufant was put on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. Rookie Jeff Okudah, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 draft, is out with a hip injury. The Lions are 27th in the NFL in opponent’s passer rating (101.7) and 26th in passing yards allowed (262.8 per game).

Trending

After Aaron Rodgers torched them for four touchdown passes and a 132.3 passer rating last week, the Bears’ defense has allowed a 100-plus passer rating in five consecutive games (Rodgers, Kirk Cousins, Ryan Tannehill, Drew Brees and Jared Goff) — the first time that has happened against the Bears since 1998.

Lions veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford still is a threat to put up big numbers, but with leading receiver Kenny Golladay playing just four full games because of injury, Stafford is 20th in the NFL in passer rating (92.7, 18 touchdowns, eight interceptions). Stafford has had passer ratings of 77.2, 67.4 and 74.9 in his last three games against the Bears (three touchdowns, five interceptions), all losses. Golladay, the St. Rita product who had a 75-yard touchdown against the Bears last season, is out with a hip injury.

Player to watch

The Bears’ hopes for a late-season revival rest largely on improving a running game that has been stagnant for much of the season. David Montgomery’s 57-yard burst against the Packers — the Bears’ longest rush of the season — was a positive sign. Montgomery finished with 11 carries for 103 yards, the Bears’ first 100-yard rusher this season.

Montgomery rushed for 64 yards on 13 carries (4.9 average) against the Lions in the season opener, with eight of his carries going for five yards or more. The Lions are 28th in the NFL in run defense and 19th in yards per carry.

X-factor

The Lions will play their first game under interim coach Darrell Bevell after coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn were fired following the Lions’ 41-25 loss to the Texans on Thanksgiving Day. For what it’s worth, NFL teams are 2-0 this season in their first game for the interim coach — the Texans beat the Jaguars 30-14 under Romeo Crennel; the Falcons beat the Vikings 40-23 on the road under Raheem Morris.