Lions Dominate Bears and Solidify Themselves as The Best Team in The NFC
The Detroit Lions reaffirmed themselves this Thursday as the best team in the National Football Conference (NFC) with a narrow 23-20 victory over the Chicago Bears in the traditional Thanksgiving Day matchup of the NFL. This win puts them at a record of 11 wins and only one loss, atop the NFC North Division and the NFC, while the Bears remain in last place in the division with a 4-8 record.
The game, which dates back to 1934 when the Lions and Bears first faced off on this holiday, was once again a stage for this historic rivalry. That first game was the idea of George Richards, the then-owner of the Lions, who persuaded the legendary George Halas, owner of the Bears, to broadcast the game nationally on the radio. Since then, the Thanksgiving Day matchup has become an NFL tradition.
The Lions dominated the first half, taking a 16-0 lead. Jared Goff shone with two touchdown passes caught by Sam LaPorta, while Maurice Alexander added three field goals. Defensively, Detroit limited the Bears to just 34 passing yards and 19 rushing yards, controlling the game from the start.
In the second half, the Bears attempted to rally. Caleb Williams connected on a touchdown pass to Keenan Allen in the opening series of the third quarter, narrowing the score to 16-7. However, the Lions quickly responded with another pass from Goff to LaPorta, extending the lead to 23-7. Chicago kept fighting, and with another connection between Williams and Allen, they cut the deficit to 23-13.
The Bears didn’t give up and, in the final quarter, managed another touchdown pass from Williams to DJ Moore, bringing them within three points, 23-20. Despite their efforts, they couldn’t tie the game, and the Lions emerged with the victory, solidifying their dominance in the NFC.
The day continued with the Dallas Cowboys aiming for their first home win of the year against the New York Giants, while the Packers-Dolphins game closed the day. On Friday, the Kansas City Chiefs, the NFL's best team, will face the Las Vegas Raiders, the lowest-ranked team in the league. Week 13 will conclude on Monday with the Denver Broncos vs. the Cleveland Browns matchup.
