Four Things to Watch for in the Bears vs Lions Thanksgiving Game
In the first game of a tripleheader for the Thanksgiving holiday, the Chicago Bears will take on the Detriot Lions in what should be a game that both teams need to win, not just for potential late-season berths into playoff positions, but also for players who have had less than stellar seasons, thus far. As for the Bears, controversy has been surrounding quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. The Lions, on the other hand, are struggling without the help of starting quarterback, Matthew Stafford, who has been out for several weeks with an injury.
Bears' Defense
The Chicago Bears defense has been lights out all year long, coming in at fourth in the NFL in total defense, only allowing a total of 315.6 yards of offense against them. With Jeff Driskel playing in place of the injured Matthew Stafford, who sustained a hamstring injury a couple of weeks ago, can the Bears continue to be dominant and shut down the Lions' offense? The short answer would be yes, but not a guarantee, as Detroit's rushing game has been picking up steam. More on that next.
Bo Scarborough and the Detroit Running Game
The Alabama product who was selected late in the draft is proving to all the teams that passed him up of the bad decision they made. At the right time in the season, Scarborough is providing the boost that the offense needs, especially with the absence of quarterback Matthew Stafford. Although Scarborough has only appeared in two games, he's quickly becoming a potential fixture. He rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown in his debut, as well as, 98 yards in his second game. Keep an eye out on how Chicago can try to bottle him up.
The Play of Mitch Trubisky
At one point, the number two overall pick in the NFL draft, Mitchell Trubisky had shown signs of greatness, but as of late, has left a lot to be desired in the minds of Bears fans. For the season, he's only thrown for 1,858 yards, while tossing 10 touchdowns to 6 interceptions. Although he's not far from matching his numbers in last year's season at 24 touchdowns to 12 interceptions, he's not showing improvement. If the Bears hope to claim a wild card spot for the playoffs, this is a game that Trubisky must execute effectively and absolutely cannot lose.
Chicago Tight End Play
The Bears have had to deal with the absence of their starting tight end, Trey Burton who is out for the season with an injury. To make matters worse, both their second-string and third-string tight ends are also out for at least this game with a foot injury and concussion, respectively. Although they will be without their top three tight ends on the roster, the play of tight ends within the offense has been almost absent the whole season. Can the backup players step up and provide a new threat for Trubisky to utilize? If not, it may be a long day for the Bears' offense.
