Lions show Bears where they could be next year
We saw a potential playoff team at Ford Field on Sunday.
The defenders hit hard, forced turnovers and flew to the ball with reckless abandon.
The running backs churned out tough yards and also blazed trails deep into the secondary.
The wideouts were open all day. And the veteran quarterback sat back and picked apart one of the worst defenses in the NFL.
Incredibly - almost miraculously - we are talking about the Detroit Lions.
After falling behind 7-0 and 10-7, coach Dan Campbell's squad did almost anything it wanted to against the Bears and walked out with an impressive 41-10 victory.
Detroit, which hasn't won a playoff game in more than three decades, is now 8-8 after a 1-6 start.
It's a place the Bears (3-13) might be a year from now, but only if they improve enough to compete with teams like (gasp!) the Lions.
"After the first drive, it quieted down a little bit but it was rocking," said offensive lineman Sam Mustipher. "Lions fans showed up for their team and, rightfully so, they're good. They can make a playoff run."
The Bears did run for 173 yards in the first half (91 coming on two Justin Fields scampers) but managed just 27 more in the second half.
It was an ugly, stink-up-the-joint kind of day for Matt Eberflus' squad, which lost for a franchise-record ninth straight time.
"We knew it was going to be a playoff environment," Fields said. "The fans were loud out there. They came with some juice today, so you do have to give credit to those guys because they know they have a shot at making the playoffs. I don't think we necessarily had to play perfect, I just have to play better than I did today."
When it comes to the Lions it's important to acknowledge that they aren't exactly world beaters. Their defense - while solid against the Bears - is suspect in certain areas and still needs serious upgrades.
Having said that, rookies James Houston (3 sacks) and Aidan Hutchinson (half-sack) bring the kind of pressure the Bears can only dream of at this point. Houston, a sixth-round pick, has 8 sacks in just six games.
Hutchinson has 7½ sacks and is only 22 years old. Safety Kerby Joseph is also only 22.
Houston's biggest moment came when he chased down Fields and forced a fumble that was recovered by Hutchinson late in the second quarter. The turnover allowed Detroit to kick a field goal and take a 24-10 lead into halftime.
This young group on 'D' is far from a finished product, but could be awfully scary in a year or two.
Then there's the offense.
Once you attempt to slow a battering-ram tailback in Jamaal Williams (22 carries, 144 yards) you're hit with an absolute burner in the 23-year-old D'Andre Swift (78 rushing yards, 39 receiving, 2 TDs).
Then there's Amon-Ra St. Brown, who became the first Lions receiver to go over 100 catches since Calvin Johnson in 2012. The 23-year-old has a whopping 190 receptions for 2,024 yards and 11 TDs in two seasons.
QB Jared Goff struggled in 2021, but has found his stride this year by throwing 29 TD passes. He hasn't thrown an interception in eight straight games.
This is all great news for the Lions.
But not so much for Bears GM Ryan Poles, who has committed to a rebuilding project. For the Bears to make significant strides in the NFC they are going to have to handle not only the Vikings and possibly the Packers, but also these up-and-coming Lions.
The Bears' putrid performance Sunday shouldn't be all that surprising. Undermanned for much of the season, they still managed to compete with the likes of the Eagles, Bills (for a half), Packers and Dolphins in recent weeks.
At some point, everything was bound to collapse. And that point came against Detroit.
The 31-point loss ought to open Poles' eyes to just how much work he has to do. He can't waste a single pick or free-agent signing in the next two years. Find guys with high motors, intelligence and an insatiable desire to win.
Don't reach or guess. Don't outsmart your assistants.
Do all that and the Bears can be a team on the rise.
Just like (gasp!) the Lions.