Justin Fields ran everywhere in the Detroit Lions within the first quarter.
However then, the Lions lastly contained him.
A recreation with the potential for a shootout turned lopsided early within the second half. The Lions, from the second quarter on, shut down Fields and dominated the Bears in all aspects Sunday, successful 41-10 within the finale at Ford Subject and protecting their playoff hopes alive.
“The one draw back about at the moment is the truth that that is our final residence recreation,” Lions coach Dan Campbell stated. “However so far as the place we’re at proper now, it would not get any higher than this.”
To make the playoffs, the Lions (8-8) — winners in seven of their previous 9 video games — must beat the Inexperienced Bay Packers in subsequent week’s showdown at Lambeau Subject. In addition they want one loss from the Seattle Seahawks.
“It means every thing,” Campbell stated. “It is simply so particular. It is pretty much as good as it may well get. I imply, severely, you get to go to historic Lambeau, the place the highest (crew) on this division has been Inexperienced Bay yearly for years, and earn your proper to doubtlessly get in.”
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Fields, who thrashed the Lions’ protection in Week 10, ran for 105 yards within the first quarter. On the time, the dynamic quarterback was on tempo for a whopping 420 speeding yards. He regarded utterly in command of the tempo.
However Fields completed with 10 carries for 132 yards. His arm, the weak hyperlink of his abilities, failed to assist him regulate. He accomplished 7 of 21 passes for 75 yards, one landing and one interception.
The Lions sacked him seven instances.
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“That was the important thing to this recreation,” Campbell stated. “We acquired harm early, and that was self-induced. It occurred to us a pair instances, and we let (Fields) out of (the pocket). However our athleticism in some areas confirmed up when it wanted to. … All in all, I assumed we snapped again on protection. We had been way more bodily.”
Linebacker James Houston, proving himself as a premium edge rusher, carried the protection with three sacks, one pressured fumble and three quarterback hits. Defensive finish Josh Paschal added two sacks and two quarterback hits. Defensive finish Aidan Hutchinson recorded a half-sack, one fumble restoration and one interception.
Hutchinson turned the primary rookie defensive linemen in NFL historical past with three interceptions in a season. (The final lineman to take action was Corridor of Famer Richard Dent in 1990.)
“I feel that is particular,” Houston stated of the rookies on protection. “Simply having all of us on that line, and we’re simply rising. We’re studying and discovering out what we will do and might’t do with one another. Because the years go on, I really feel like it will maintain getting higher and higher.”
Fields entered the medical tent twice within the first half, together with as soon as to get checked for a mind damage, because the Lions pressured him relentlessly within the second quarter. (He has been coping with an damage to his non-throwing shoulder just lately.)
A pair of huge runs from Fields on Chicago’s first two drives led to factors. He scampered for 31 yards on the primary drive, which led to a 12-yard passing landing to tight finish Cole Kmet, then escaped the pocket and scrambled for 60 yards on the second drive, which resulted in a 23-yard area objective from Cairo Santos.
Between these drives, Lions quarterback Jared Goff benefitted from a defensive move interference on fourth-and-4. The flag, charged to Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon in the long run zone, put the Lions on the 1-yard line, and two performs later, tight finish Brock Wright caught a 2-yard move for a landing.
“If it is third down, I would not have accomplished that,” Goff stated, when requested about his choice to throw into double-coverage on fourth down. “Everybody was coated beneath, and I noticed (DJ Chark) deep. Hopefully, it was move interference. If it is intercepted in the long run zone, so be it.”
The Lions trailed, 10-7, after the primary quarter however rolled the Bears within the closing three quarters, ending with greater than 500 yards of whole offense.
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Detroit’s offense scored 31 straight factors — for a 38-10 benefit coming into the fourth quarter — on touchdowns from Wright (once more), working again D’Andre Swift (twice) and working again Jamaal Williams, plus a 23-yard area objective from Michael Badgley earlier than halftime.
Swift, specifically, regarded electrical for the primary time in a very long time. He ran 11 instances for 78 yards and one landing. Williams, although, dealt with the majority of the workload, taking 22 touches for 144 yards and one landing.
“I feel that is our success proper there,” Williams stated, “simply having so many weapons on the sphere. It makes the protection extra cautious about what’s occurring and makes it unpredictable. Right now, Swift went loopy. I am pleased with him due to the way in which he works, and he deserves all the probabilities he will get.”
Rookie extensive receiver Jameson Williams added 40 speeding yards on a reverse play to arrange Jamaal Williams’ landing for a 31-10 lead with 11:48 left within the third quarter. On the following drive, Goff and Swift linked up for a catch-and-run 21-yard landing to make it 38-10 with 6:44 to go within the third.
“He is actually dynamic, and we have got a handful of these guys now,” Goff stated of Swift’s breakthrough efficiency. “You set the ball of their fingers, and something can occur. As a quarterback, it is fairly enjoyable, and positively as an offense, it helps us.”
Goff, who hasn’t thrown an interception in eight video games, managed the offense to perfection and took care of the ball. He accomplished 21 of 29 passes for 255 yards and three touchdowns.
The offensive line allowed two sacks.
“He is taking part in at a really excessive stage,” Campbell stated. “He has a ton of confidence proper now, and he is had this for some time. He has a very good really feel of the sport plan, and it is like he is on this mode proper now the place you’re feeling like anytime you dial up a move he’ll discover someone. That is an amazing feeling.”
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Detroit’s protection, although, deserves credit score for shifting the momentum. On the Bears’ second drive of the second quarter, Paschal sacked Fields for a lack of 12 yards. After a 16-yard completion, Houston sacked Fields for a lack of 8 yards to pressure a three-and-out punt.
The Bears’ offense by no means picked up once more. On the following drive, Houston tackled Fields from behind on the third play and compelled a fumble. Hutchinson, who recovered the fumble, intercepted Fields to finish the primary half.
After taking a 38-10 lead, the Lions’ offense managed the clock within the fourth quarter whereas the protection held robust. Badgley added a 41-yard area objective with 2:40 left within the recreation.
“Not each crew — gamers, younger guys — get the chance to play in video games like this,” Goff stated. “I imply, there have been a bunch of fellows right here who, for the primary half of their profession, haven’t had the possibility of taking part in a recreation in January which means one thing. And we will get that probability subsequent week.”
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or comply with him on Twitter @EvanPetzold.
This text initially appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions run right through Bears to keep playoff hopes alive
