The Detroit Lions feel like an unstoppable team right now. Detroit is 11-1 for the first time in franchise history after delivering fans a 23-20 victory over the Bears on Thanksgiving. The Lions are in complete control of the top seed in the NFC and even have a chance to clinch a playoff berth if everything falls their way on Sunday. There are plenty of reasons for Lions fans to be happy this holiday season.
Of course, that includes Lions head coach Dan Campbell. Detroit had not won on Thanksgiving during the Campbell era before Thursday’s win over the Bears. Campbell, and the rest of his family, are certainly happy that he’ll be in good spirits this weekend.
“It’d be nice to feel good about it when you’re with everybody because it’s just not real fun. It’s not real fun to be around,” Campbell said prior to the Thanksgiving game, per ESPN’s Eric Woodyard. “Ask my wife, she’ll tell you.”
As expected, Campbell was feeling much better after getting his first Thanksgiving victory as a head coach.
“Listen, much better. Much better. I’ll take a W. Look, that’s division win No. 3, which is huge, especially in the race we’re in right now and that’s win 11 and it’s another conference win,” Campbell said. “So, I feel good. I’m going to take that W and I’m going to enjoy this Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, and all your families and everybody out there. I’m gonna enjoy this.”
Bears’ late-game meltdown helps secure Lions Thanksgiving win
The ending of the first Thanksgiving game of the day was truly a headscratcher.
The Bears had the ball down by three points and were driving for a chance to tie the game or win outright. With 33 seconds left, the Bears lined up for a third and long from the Lions’ 41-yard line.
Bears QB Caleb Williams spent what felt like an eternity getting the team lined up and ready for the play. He snapped the ball with just seconds left, throwing an incomplete pass targeted for Rome Odunze and ending the game.
This caused rage among Bears fans because the team had one timeout. Neither Williams nor head coach Matt Eberflus thought to use the timeout to avoid this catastrophe.
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Williams owned up to his part in the debacle after the game.
“My job is to go out there and make plays, my job is to get everybody lined up,” Williams told reporters after the game via @dave_bfr on X, formerly Twitter. “That’s it. Win games. Didn’t do that today.”
The Lions benefitted from an unforced error by the Bears, but that won’t spoil the win for Lions fans.
Next up for the Lions is a Thursday night matchup against the Packers on December 5th.