Bears not about to take 0-7 Lions lightly

Is there really any point in the Bears worrying about the Detroit Lions on Sunday?

The 0-7 visitors are 28th in scoring and last in points and yards allowed. They're also 31st in rushing yards, first downs, rushing yards allowed and passing yards allowed. They've been outscored 212-114.

But Bears players and coaches say there are plenty of reasons to take their winless NFC North opponents seriously.

"I know in the Lions' camp they're focused on just getting that first win, and they'd like nothing more than to get it against us," defensive lineman Israel Idonije said. "Our focus is to play them like they're undefeated or having a great year. Just don't take anything for granted."

But, come on, this is a team that has 1 win in its last 15 games.

In the first meeting three weeks ago, wide receiver Roy Williams caught 7 passes for 96 yards against the Bears, more than half of the Lions' total offense of 185 yards. But Williams, arguably the team's most talented player, was traded to the Dallas Cowboys nine days later.

The Bears insist they will not be complacent against the Lions, whom they outgained 425-185 in the first meeting.

"Not when you're dealing with a team that beat you twice last year," said quarterback Kyle Orton, who posted personal bests in passing yards and passer rating in the first game this season.

"They came in here last year and beat us at home. We've got to defend our home field and come out and play well coming off the bye week."

And the Bears can't afford to give away an extremely winnable game, considering the undefeated Tennessee Titans follow the Lions into town before three straight road games.

With a modest 4-3 record, the Bears cannot miss an opportunity to put some breathing room between themselves and the 3-4 Minnesota Vikings and the 4-3 Green Bay Packers, who have to play the Titans on the road.

So overlooking the Lions isn't an option.

"I don't think there's any sense of that at all," offensive coordinator Ron Turner said. "Our guys know when we watch the film that we're doing some things well, and we're making some plays, but we're not even close to where we can be.

"Our guys know that, and they understand we've got to maintain that edge and maintain that focus we've had. As soon as that slips one bit, we're going to be very average. We've just got to keep playing with that edge we've had."

There already have been plenty of examples around the league of the old "on any given Sunday" rule.

St. Louis, 0-4 at the time, had been outscored 147-43 when it went on the road to play Washington (4-1), which was coming off back-to-back road victories at Philadelphia and Dallas. Yet the Rams won 19-17, and the following week routed the Cowboys 34-14.

A week earlier, the Denver Broncos, who are now 4-3 and in first place in the AFC West, lost by 14 points to the Chiefs, Kansas City's only victory this season.

"Every week you see that any team can beat anybody in the NFL," Bears nose tackle Dusty Dvoracek said. "If you don't come to play on Sunday, you're going to lose.

"Everybody's good in the NFL. They may not have any wins, but they're still a good, capable football team. Everyone in this locker room knows that."

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