Getty Darrell Bevell and Matthew Stafford talk after a 2019 Lions game.
The Detroit Lions will soon be tackling Week 13 on the field and looking to move on from the disaster of the last few seasons in their own way, and they will have the opportunity to do something they haven’t done in many years.
Beat the rival Chicago Bears.
Detroit’s nosedive in the standings under Matt Patricia and Bob Quinn has also come with the unpleasant fact they’ve been getting their teeth kicked in by the Bears lately, and all of that can change with just one good performance on the gridiron this coming weekend.
Obviously, there’s a lot the Lions have to do in a matchup they haven’t been close to dominating in recently. So what has to happen now in order for the team to pull the upset and get back on the winning track in the NFC North? Here’s a look at some of the matchups that will likely tell that tale this week of who gets the win.
Mitch Trubisky vs. Lions Secondary
This matchup hasn’t gone well for the last handful of seasons, and the Lions are likely to remain dinged up at cornerback for this game. If the Bears start Trubisky, it could be another bad day for the secondary considering how good Trubisky has been against the Lions for most of his career perhaps surprisingly to some. The Lions will need to throw some different looks Trubisky’s way on defense and try to force him into some mistakes. Business as usual is not going to work, so the Lions need to avoid whatever Matt Patricia’s game plan was for the Bears on defense. The secondary could determine if the Lions win or not.
T.J. Hockenson vs. Bears Linebackers
Very quietly, Hockenson is having a heck of a month for the Lions and racking up the passing yards as a trusted target for the offense. This week, the Lions will need to try to get him going again, especially if the team’s wideouts are going to be hampered by injury and struggling to make an impact on the field. Hockenson looks like he is a major part of the team’s future on offense, and him having a strong finish to the season is very necessary for 2021 and beyond. Another good game against the Bears figures to keep him on this track.
Romeo Okwara vs. Bears Offensive Front
The Lions haven’t had much of a prayer getting after the quarterback this season, but if there’s been one guy who has been very helpful, it’s been Okwara. He’s been the most consistent edge rusher the team has had, and in a matchup where the Bears figure to be able to do some damage to the Detroit front, the Lions will have to have someone who responds. Okwara is probably the best bet to do this in Week 13, so the Lions will want to see him continuing to put his best foot forward for the team.
Darrell Bevell and Cory Undlin vs. Bears Staff
The fact that the Lions have changed personnel could be a very interesting wrinkle for this game that many are failing to discuss. It’s more than possible that Matt Patricia stifled his coordinators or held them to a specific plan, and as a result, the Lions could look markedly different in this contest than they have before. That’s a challenge for Matt Nagy and his staff to remember, and it will be interesting to see how wide open the Lions can get on offense and if their defensive plan will change at all with Undlin. Based on what happened with the previous staff, it’s probably wise for the team to change things very drastically off the Patricia era. If they do so, that could be something the Bears are not ready for.
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