Early Lions lead relies on review

DETROIT - Although it was easy to overlook in the confusion of the furious finale, Golden Tate's 2-yard TD catch in the final minutes of the first half loomed large at the end.

It gave the Lions a 21-13 lead, but only after a review of the play.

Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller stripped the ball from Tate as he was crossing the goalline and it popped up toward Bears lineman Eddie Goldman, who deflected it into the hands of linebacker Jonathan Anderson. The ruling was that Tate had crossed the goalline with possession of the ball.

The Bears challenged and lost.

The explanation to Bears coach John Fox was: "That he was upright, so they deemed that he had possession, was the exact explanation."

Fox was asked about a similar play involving Bears wide receiver Eddie Royal that did not go the Bears' way.

"We're not allowed to talk about officials," Fox said. "You know it, I know it, so why ask?"

Successful return:

Alshon Jeffery made a sensational return after missing four games with a hamstring injury.

He caught 8 passes for 147 yards and 1 touchdown, including 24- and 25-yard passes in the final 21 seconds of regulation to set up the Bears' game-tying field goal that forced overtime.

"The second play was the same thing (as the first)," Jeffery said. "Great throws by Jay (Cutler), and the O-line did a (heck) of a job blocking."

Jeffery was penalized twice, once for offensive pass interference and once for holding. Afterward he said his conditioning was fine but will be better.

"Football shape is different," he said. "When you get out there playing with pads on, it's different. We've got a week off, so I'll be back."

Coming up short:

Lions wide receiver Calvin "Megatron" Johnson burned the Bears for 6 catches and 166 yards, including a 6-yard TD that provided a 34-31 lead with 21 seconds left in regulation.

In overtime, the 6-foot-5, 237-pound Johnson made an excellent in-air adjustment to a slightly underthrown Matthew Stafford pass that gained 57 yards and set up the game-winning field goal.

Bears undrafted rookie safety Harold Jones-Quartey had the unenviable task of coverage on the play.

"I was just thinking, 'If my number is called, I have to make that play,'" the 5-foot-11 Jones-Quartey said.

That accounted for a big chunk of the 405 yards that Stafford threw for.

"They did exactly what we thought they would," Jones-Quartey said after his second NFL start. "But they made more plays, and we didn't."

Getting younger:

Four rookies started against the Lions: safeties Adrian Amos and Harold Jones-Quartey, defensive end Eddie Goldman and center Hroniss Grasu.

Goldman started in place of Ego Ferguson (ankle/I.R.), Jones-Quartey started for the second straight week in place of Antrel Rolle (ankle). Amos, a fifth-round draft pick, has started all six games, while third-rounder Grasu made his second straight start since Will Montgomery's season-ending fractured fibula.

Sitting it out:

Defensive lineman Bruce Gaston, who was signed after Ego Ferguson (ankle) was placed on injured reserve Saturday, was inactive. Also inactive were linebacker Shea McClellinn (knee), safety Antrel Rolle (ankle), offensive linemen Jermon Bushrod (shoulder) and Nick Becton, running back Antone Smith and cornerback Terrance Mitchell.