PREGAME
Well, after a week and a half of planning to beat the Bears, dreaming about beating the Bears, focusing on beating the Bears and doing nothing but thinking about beating the Bears, the Lions get their chance.
Now we'll see whether they can, you know, beat the Bears.
FIRST QUARTER
13:37:The Lions started rookie Kevin Smith at tailback, and that move led to ... a three-and-out. At least the Bears were offsides on the ensuing punt, negating a huge return by Devin Hester. Now it's time for the vaunted Lions D to take the field ...
9:06:Millen's gone, but the Lions still can't tackle. Kyle Orton, Matt Forte and Kevin Jones, not exactly, ahem, NFL stars are marching the Bears down the field.
6:48:The Lions' defense stiffens, sort of, and forces a medium-range field goal by Robbie Gould. Bears 3, Lions 0
5:09:The Lions are in the no-huddle offense. Unfortunately, they're also in the no-first-down offense. Another three-and-out. After a good punt, the Bears will start inside their own 10-yard line.
3:12:An apparent busted coverage leaves Bears tight end Greg Olsen wide-open for a big gain, but the Lions buckle down after that. I'm going to go out on a limb here and predict that the Lions will get a first down on this coming drive. It's bound to happen sooner or later.
2:33:Oops. Didn't happen. Three-and-out. Never a good sign for Jon Kitna when the play-by-play announcer says his pass was "kind of intended for Roy Williams."
SECOND QUARTER
12:22:Rudi Johnson breaks the first-down jinx with a nice run on first down, and then Roy Williams picks one up on the very next play. Now we're cooking with gas. Of course, the Lions are still at their own 35.
12:00:Serves me right for pointing out the Lions' positives. After the back-to-back first downs, Kitna fumbles on a blind-side hit. Bears ball, deep in Lions territory.
10:56:Hey, whaddya know? Bears coach Lovie Smith decided to go for it on fourth-and-1 instead of kicking the field goal, and Lions DE Dewayne White stuffed the run for a loss. Wake up the echoes of Michigan State from Saturday, eh? That could turn out to be a critical defensive stand.
7:22:The Lions should feel pretty fortunate to only be trailing 3-0 right now. The offense has been abysmal, but the defense is keeping them in the game. Something tells me that won't last all afternoon, so Kitna's Krew had better get it in gear quickly.
5:27:Told you it wouldn't last forever (OK, OK, the Bears already were driving when I wrote the previous post). Rookie tailback Matt Forte just scored on a nine-yard pass, even after Rod Marinelli challenged that Forte had been tackled at the 1-yard line. No dice. Bears 10, Lions 0
3:54:The Fox announcers just dogged second-year Lions lineman Manny Ramirez for his blocking on a doomed screen play. We haven't seen much of Ramirez on the field, but maybe that's just Manny being Manny.
1:56:Touchdown Bears. Devin Hester did a nice pirouette after catching a slant at the goal line. The Lions lasted slightly longer before falling into a big hole today than in previous games, but, hey, that's not very much solace is it? Bears 17, Lions 0
0:00:What might be most frightening/disheartening/troubling is that there's no sign that the Lions are even improving from week to week. And that's kind of tough to accomplish with how low the bar was set.
THIRD QUARTER
15:00:Bears get the ball first after halftime. Uh-oh.
11:38:Linebacker Ernie Sims just left the field, holding his leg, but he's back in there. See? There is some good news for the Lions today. As long as it's precipitated by bad news.
11:28:That was some catch by the Bears' Marty Booker, eh? Hope you're watching it on TV, because it's about as good as it gets. Oh, yeah, the Lions are about to give up another touchdown because of it.
11:17:And there it is. Forte takes one in on the ground. I kind of hope the crowd starts chanting "Fire Millen," just for old times' sake. Bears 24, Lions 0
11:06:Remember this day, kiddies. Dan Orlovsky is coming on to replace an (apparently) uninjured Jon Kitna. Somebody must've decided that Orlovsky gives them the best chance to win today.
10:10:I assume that Lions fans have been subjected to this long enough that they can see the dark humor of what's happening today. The play after the Lions won a challenge to overturn a fumble, Orlovsky throws slightly behind Roy Williams, who tips it up and right to Chicago's Charles Tillman, who returns the pick for six. What else can go wrong? Bears 31, Lions 0
8:31:Hey, there's the break the Lions needed! Devin Hester fumbles on a punt return, and the Lions pounce on it deep in Bears territory. Just don't throw it to Roy Williams.
7:08:The Lions keep pounding the rock, and it finally cracks with Kevin Smith running it home from 12 yards out. And the hits keep on coming: Jason Hanson makes the extra point. Don't look now ... Bears 31, Lions 7
0:38:Boy, it sure seems that Roy Williams is trying to run himself out of town. He obviously should be disgusted by the team's performance, but the way he's carrying on seems to be a ploy to convince the Lions to get rid of him. As soon as they can. Whenever that is.
FOURTH QUARTER
11:58:Robbie Gould boots a 45-yard field goal. The Bears are safe. Bears 34, Lions 7
10:48So who do you start at QB against the Vikings next weekend? I'd be shocked if it weren't Kitna. Not saying it should be, but I don't see Marinelli making such a bold switch yet. Or maybe ever.
9:39:That's quaint. The Lions go for it on fourth-and-3 in Bears territory. And they throw it. And it's caught. And they're short of the first down. That's tough to do. Adding injury to meltdown, Mike Furrey is hurt on the play.
5:44:Give credit to the Fox crew for finding things to talk about during the second half. Not much on the field has warranted discussion.
2:45:That's a nice note on which to go out. Dan Orlovsky gets creamed by most of the Chicago defensive line, fumbles, and the Bears recover. Ole!
0:00:The carnage is over. Here's guessing that all of the Lions' focus, all of their effort and all of their planning is now on the Minnesota Vikings, seven days from now. There's still 12 games left, and they're only 2 1/2 games out of first place, you know.
Final score: Bears 34, Lions 7
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