How Bears Keep the Lions Winless

Three matchup advantages the Bears have should make battling Jared Goff easier even on four days rest since their last blown lead.

USA Today

Facing the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving might be the biggest no-win scenario the Bears could have.

If they win, well, Detroit hasn't won so it's expected. If they lose, they're laughingstocks of the NFL—at least even more so than they already are.

The game's attraction for Bears fans already is lessened by the fact quarterback Justin Fields won't play and with no real chance for the playoffs at 3-7 on the year the goal for every game should be to see their rookie's development.

Instead, they'll be watching a player who might not even be in Chicago next year throwing passes for a coach who might not be in Chicago.

The best the Bears can do is come away with personal satisfaction and an end to a five-game losing streak, which might not be enough to prevent postseason coaching change.

They need to take advantage of the opportunity to end the streak now because Arizona, Green Bay and Minnesota follow.

Here are three matchup advantages the Bears have over Detroit they need to exploit

Bears ILB Roquan Smith vs. Lions RB D'Andre Swift

The Lions have become heavily reliant on the run. They'll throw extensively to Swift as well. He has 54 receptions already at this point. So he's going to be going head-up against Smith in this game and based on the last month this looks like a total mismatch. Smith has been playing at the Pro Bowl level he played at last year without getting named to the all-star game. At least he's been doing it for about half this season. He hit a peak last week with 17 tackles, including two for loss. His hits have become bigger and the Bears have needed this as other players have been sidelined. Swift's 4.1 yards a carry and 521 yards rushing speak to how much he's used, but they do use running back Jamaal Williams extensively, as well.

Bears WR Darnell Mooney vs. Lions CB Amani Oruwariye

With Allen Robinson's return unlikely at best considering his hamstring pull, Mooney remains their chief receiving threat and he already burned the Lions once. A 64-yard pass against the Lions was the first deep ball Justin Fields ever completed and he led a 24-14 win, before being named starting quarterback for good. Mooney hasn't had as good of a season in terms of total dropped passes—he has three and only one last year—but his production totals have gone up and he's at 571 yards for 41 catches, both team highs. Somewhat disturbing is that quarterbacks have a 64.9 passer rating when they throw to him compared to 85.9 last year. This more reflects Fields' inexperience. Oruwariye is part of a makeshift Lions secondary thrown together after numerous injuries in the early season. He would have been playing anyway, and has been rated the 110th cornerback out of 118 graded by Pro Football Focus with a 49.8 overall grade. This said, Oruwariye appears improved over last year. The 6-foot-2 cornerback has made four interceptions and improved his passer rating against to a respectable 85.8, but he still allows far too many receptions at over 70% completions.

Bears DE Bilal Nichols vs. Lions G Tommy Kraemer

A concussion to Halapoulivaati Vaitai is forcing the Lions to turn to undrafted Notre Dame lineman Kraemer, who is 6-6, 319 pounds and has played just 37 snaps so far. It's possible Vaitai would be available but improbable after only four days since he was injured. It would be Nichols and not Akiem Hicks facing Kraemer because of Hicks' ankle injury. Nichols had struggled earlier in the year with toe and knee problems but is coming off a pair of stronger games, and the Bears will need the defensive interior to strengthen against the Lions' power running. Nichols is in a contract year after he seemed to make a breakthrough last season. To keep the Bears interested in bringing him back it wouldn't hurt him to have a strong finish to this season. He had four tackles, including one for loss, and a QB hit in the last two games

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