Lions vs. Bears quick thoughts: What Just Happened?

693 days ago the Detroit Lions beat the Bears in Chicago. Then they went 693 days without a road win until Sunday when the Lions won a 31-30 nailbiter against the same team they won their last road game against 693 days before. Did I get that 693 point across?

As always, I have thoughts on this game. These are those thoughts.

Aaron Glenn for mayor

The Lions defense has been really bad in 2022. But in the last two weeks when the Lions needed to get a stop to win a big game against a divisional opponent, his defense came through big. A couple of huge sacks on a quarterback that had ran all over them during the course of the game got it done. This could be spark that the Lions needed to get things turned around this season.

Jeff Okudah

What a season for Jeff Okudah. At one point in time, some were sure that Okudah was a bust. After suffering from injuries for his first two years in the league, Okudah has come back with a vengeance in 2022 and looks every bit like a player that was selected third overall.

A Sunday he grabbed the first pick-six of his career. It was a much needed moment for the Lions and it ultimately helped the Lions win the game. Sadly Justin Fields got his own vengeance on the next drive, but still, what moment for Okudah and again, the Lions won.

The Lions collapse in the third quarter again

I don’t even know how to explain what happens to this team in the second half each week. The Lions went into the half tied at 10-10 and by all accounts, looked good in all phases. Then this list of things happened in just the third quarter.

1. Goff sacked twice
2. Lions secondary completely misses a wide open Cole Kmet on a 50-yard touchdown
3. Jack Fox shanks a punt
4. Lions go three-and-out twice and the Bears immediately score after one of those

It just doesn’t make sense. I don’t know how the Lions fix it. But it’s the same thing that happens nearly every week. You start to think there’s some sort of other worldly thing happening here. Let me think about it. I might have an answer later in this article.

Feed the Sun God

Amon-Ra St. Brown has been a little off in the past few weeks as he was getting over an ankle injury. On Sunday he went right back to being the guy you know and love. St. Brown really unlocks the offense for this team, and you can see that he made Jared Goff comfortable out there. So comfortable that he connected with St. Brown six times in the first half alone. He didn't stop there though. St. Brown finished the day with 10 catches for 119 yards.

Hutch to the WWE

A long time ago, in the galaxy that we currently live in, Lions linebacker Chris Spielman made an appearance at Wrestlemania 10 and helped Lawrence Taylor beat Bam Bam Bigelow. Lions rookie Aidan Hutchinson showed on Sunday that he could be the next Lion to find himself in the squared circle. Let’s just book it now. When Wrestlemania comes back to Detroit, Hutchinson vs. Roman Reigns in the semi-main event. I’d continue to pay $9.99 for Peacock to watch that.

Tales of the Third Quarter

Okay, I got it. I know what happens to this team in the third quarter. Everyone gather around the campfire and I’ll tell you the tale.

It turns out aliens are real. They’ve turned the entryway to the locker room into a portal that sends the Lions team to the planet Narclar. They remained trapped there for the duration of the third quarter. That’s not all though. You see, they have skin suits that look like the Lions players and they strap them on to the dumbest aliens on the planet and then send through the portal to play the third quarter. That’s why Cole Kmet got that wide up 50-yard touchdown. Alien Kerby Joseph was too busy being mesmerized by the grass at Soldier Field. The aliens returned the Lions in the fourth quarter. They did do some experiments on them though. Also they spray rum on them so nobody will believe their story.

Justin Fields

I’ve been anti-Justin Fields for a while. Mainly because I always see people on Twitter talk about something amazing that he just did, and then I see that he finished the game with multiple turnovers and the Bears lost. His stat line just never seems to match the takes that surround him.

Sunday he showed me that he’s a good quarterback. His footwork is very impressive and he’s as slippery as they come. I’d still like to see more of him throwing the ball, but the throws he made on Sunday were pretty decent. I’m not to the point where I’m ready to crown him, but I will say that I was wrong. He’s good. There, I said it. He did throw that pick-six though. He also took two back-breaking sacks in a row.

What is happening here?