This is the type of game that can be a game changer that lasts a lifetime.
The Detroit Lions had no business pulling out that 31-26 victory over the Chicago Bears at Ford Field. But they did. And this one can resonate for a long time.
We saw every flaw the Lions have. Yet they won.
All our fears came to light. Quarterback Jared Goff turned into a turnover machine with three interceptions. He easily could have had two more. The team turned it over four times, and if you watch the NFL closely, no team wins with four turnovers.
Yet they won.
The Lions defense once again failed to stop a mobile quarterback as Justin Fields rushed for 104 yards on 18 carries. And there were long stretches where the Lions defense was just bad, allowing the Bears to score on four straight possessions in the second half.
But they won.
“We found a way to make it work at the end,” said quarterback Jared Goff, who was booed during his three interception day. “We’re a resilient team. We’re tough. We have a lot of courage, and we don’t back down from anything.”
The Lions did not look like a good team. But this is what good teams do. They showed every blemish, failed every test, but they did what was necessary to win when it mattered most.
“That’s a hard way to live,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “It speaks volumes.”
This win is more important to the Lions championship run than the Kansas City win to begin the season.
Every team in the NFL, whether it be the Chiefs, Bears or Falcons is tough to beat, especially this season where 70 percent of games are decided by one score.
The Bears played like bears. They were aggressive, got smart coaching and did all they could to play spoilers. They should have won. But you know what they say in Chicago. SOB. Or Same Old Bears.
The Lions will get ripped by their fan base for this performance. And they deserve it. However, there is something special about stepping away from your deathbed to live another day. That’s exactly what the Lions did.
How many of you read them their last rites? How many of you thought it was over?
How many of you wished the Lions were led by Fields instead of Goff? How many of you booed Goff when the ESPN win probability for the Bears ticked up to 98.8 percent?
Now the team that couldn’t think straight for long stretches is 8-2 for the first time since 1962, the same year Taco Bell and Target opened their first stores.
This was the best and worst win of the season, all rolled into one. It was the worst win because the Lions were outplayed for 56 minutes. It was the best win because the Lions now know that anything is possible.
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For more from the author Terry Foster, check him out on Twitter here: @terryfosterdet
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Original Photo Credit: © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK
