For the first time in four years, Dan Campbell hopes to celebrate Thanksgiving with joy.
The coach claimed that losing has a negative impact on family get-togethers following games. The Detroit Lions have lost seven games in a row on the holiday, including three consecutive games against Campbell.
Campbell remarked, “Askmy wife, she’ll tell you,” We all want to win, so that’s why she’s praying for it so much since she knows that I’m a bear if we lose.
“It is long overdue, but we have to win to win.”
As favorites with a double-digit margin, the NFC-leading Lions (10-1) are anticipated to get what they want on Thursday at Ford Field against the struggling Chicago Bears (4-7).
Three of the final plays have cost Chicago three of their last five games.
After suffering holiday defeats in each of the previous three years, Lions quarterback Jared Goff isn’t taking anything for granted.
“I don’t like being grumpy around family,” Goff stated. “No one does. You want to win this game so you can have Thanksgiving dinner with your family. I want to do it because it will be my first time doing that here.”
Caleb’s comfort
Following a difficult run of performance that resulted in Shane Waldron’s dismissal, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, who was selected first overall in the NFL draft in Detroit this spring, has appeared more at ease in two games with Thomas Brown serving as offensive coordinator.
“I think he’s done a good job understanding me and the players we have on this team,” Williams stated.
Williams had one of his best games after a strong outing against Green Bay. He finished with 340 yards passing and two touchdowns in an overtime loss, helping the Bears overcome an 11-point hole against Minnesota in the last 22 seconds of regulation.
In addition to setting a team rookie record with 2,356 yards of throwing, the former Southern Cal standout has gone four games without a turnover and five games without an interception.
“That’s a rookie quarterback who, in my opinion, has not even scratched the surface of how good he can be,” Brown stated. “It’s my job, my focus to continue to find ways to make him the best he can be, hold him accountable, but also the entire group, it’s not just about him.”
Motor City milestones
The Lions have a chance to win 11 of their first 12 games for the first time in the team’s history and are 10-1 for the first time in 90 years.
Detroit is now the favorite to win the Super Bowl for the first time, as their nine-game winning streak is the longest since they began 10-0 in 1934.
For the first time, the Lions have won ten or more games in a row, and their 22 wins overall set a franchise record for the first two seasons.
Struggling defense
Goff had two of his worst games in 2023 as a result of Chicago’s late-season run last year, which saw them win five of seven games thanks to a stronger defense.
Goff had a season-low passer rating against the Bears in December, but he tossed a season-high three interceptions in a victory over them in November.
“They got the better of us twice,” he stated.
One year later, Chicago’s defense is changing course.
After dropping from fifth place in the league entering into Week 8 at Washington, the unit is now ranked No. 17.
The loss against the Commanders on a Hail Mary was the first of several significant failures that have occurred during Chicago’s slide. The cornerbackOn social media, Tyrique Stevenson was seen gesturing toward the audience while facing away from Jayden Daniels after he snapped the ball. When he was intended to block out Noah Brown, he sprinted toward the pack and went up for the pass, leaving Brown unprotected and catching a tipped ball.
The Bears allowed a 60-yard completion two weeks ago in a one-point loss to Green Bay, when top cornerback Jaylon Johnson stumbled and got his feet twisted, setting up the game-winning touchdown.
Additionally, the Vikings scored 30 points and had 452 yards last week.
According to defensive coordinator Eric Washington, “even in the best of situations, you have to reset things sometimes.”
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