The Chicago Bears had a 98.8 percent win probability after Cairo Santos’ 39-yard field goal conversion stretched their lead to 12, 26-14. However, that deficit did not deter the Detroit Lions from completing a come-from-behind win with a little over four minutes left in regulation.
A 32-yard Jameson Williams touchdown catch and a Riley Patterson point-after trimmed Chicago’s lead to five, 26-21. A few minutes later, David Montgomery’s one-yard touchdown run had Detroit in the driver’s seat, 27-26. The Lions stretched their lead to three after a successful two-point conversion pass from Jared Goff to Sam LaPorta.
While the Bears had little time to work with, a field goal would have sent the game to overtime. However, Aidan Hutchinson knocked the ball out of Justin Fields’ hands after the snap from their 25-yard line. Offensive lineman Darnell Wright tried retrieving the ball, but Hutchinson’s push knocked the ball to the end zone for a Lions safety.
Those two points settled the Lions' 31-26 final count, clinching their eighth victory in ten games. Goff finished the game with 23 completions for 236 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. Montgomery had 12 carries for 76 yards and a touchdown, while Amon-Ra St. Brown had eight catches for 77 yards and a score.
The Bears had a 98.8% win probability in the fourth quarter against the Lions today, per ESPN. They ended up losing by five
— Jeremy Layton (@JeremyLayt0n) November 20, 2023
That breaks the record for biggest blown lead in the Matt Eberflus era, set in Week 4 of this season, when they had a 98.1% WP against the Broncos
It also… pic.twitter.com/G5zymZj3q6
The Super Bowl era hasn’t started when the Lions last experienced an 8-2 record. It occurred in 1962, and they finished the season at 11-3. Despite that impressive mark, they only finished second in the Western Division behind the 13-1 Green Bay Packers.
The Lions capped off that season with a victory in the Playoff Bowl against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Since then, Detroit has made the playoffs nine more times but won only one game out of 12 tries. They had three postseason appearances from 2011 to 2016 but never went past the Wild Card round.
Their recent victory against their division rivals kept their NFC North lead to two games after the Minnesota Vikings lost to the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football. Dan Campbell’s crew can extend their winning streak to four games if they defeat the Packers in Week 12.
-Lance Fernandez