Turnovers turn into 4th straight win for Bears
Call it vengeance, payback or getting even, but whatever the name the Bears used it to settle a score with the Detroit Lions.
The Bears' defense manhandled the Lions so completely Sunday that the blowout victory was assured shortly after halftime, even though the offense contributed virtually nothing to the outcome at balmy, wind-swept Soldier Field.
It would be remiss not to mention Devin Hester, who set foot on the field for a total of four plays but had an 82-yard punt-return TD and set up another score with a 29-yard return.
But the Bears' 37-13 rout was mostly the result of 6 take-aways, the most since 1995, by a defense that has elevated its game several levels in recent weeks.
“We preach and we practice taking the ball away a lot,” Bears coach Lovie Smith said. “It was about defense this afternoon.”
A disappointing first month by the defense was a major factor in the team's 2-3 start. It had doubters and haters ready to bury the Bears, or at least send the 30-something defense to a retirement home.
Well, don't look now, but the Bears are 6-3, on a four-game winning streak and tied with Detroit for the top wild-card berth, even though they trail Green Bay (8-0) by 2½ games in the NFC North.
“We're climbing up the charts right now,” Smith said, “and getting ready for (the San Diego Chargers at home) next week.”
The Bears and the Lions are tied in the standings, but the two teams appear headed in opposite directions.
The Lions have lost three of four games since they ran their record to 5-0 with a 24-13 trouncing of the Bears on Monday Night Football a month ago.
Sunday, the Lions' biggest advantage might have been in cheap shots.
Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford came into the game with 19 touchdown passes and just 4 interceptions.
But he saw his pick total double, as four different Bears defensive backs had interceptions, 2 of which were returned for touchdowns within 1:52 of the third quarter.
The second pick-6 came from 30-year-old cornerback Charles Tillman, whose coverage of Lions superstar wide receiver Calvin Johnson was as important to the victory as anything.
In addition to his 44-yard interception-return TD, Tillman had 3 pass breakups, 5 tackles and went head to head with the 6-foot-5, 236-pound all day.
Johnson caught 7 passes for 81 yards but was targeted by Stafford a mind-boggling 19 times, the same number of passes Bears quarterback Jay Cutler threw all day.
The defense set the tone before the first quarter was halfway over.
On the Lions' fifth play of the day — a pass to, of course, Johnson — Bears 31-year-old defensive end Julius Peppers wrapped an arm around Johnson's head, forcing a fumble that 33-year-old linebacker Brian Urlacher returned 17 yards to Detroit 30.
The Bears' offense, which produced a season-low 216 total yards, capitalized, scoring on back-to-back 6-yard runs by Matt Forte.
Those two runs by the NFL leader in yards from scrimmage and a 40-yard pickup later, were his high points. His other 15 carries netted 12 yards against a Lions defense determined to contain him.
On the Lions' next possession, Bears cornerback Tim Jennings, who also had an interception, knocked the ball loose from wide receiver Nate Burleson and recovered the fumble, setting up the first of 3 Robbie Gould field goals.
“I don't think (we're) going to lose too many games playing like that on defense,” said Urlacher, who had 9 tackles, 1 fewer than Jennings. “That's as dominant as I've been around since I've been here.”
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