The NFL Thanksgiving tradition continues on Thursday when the Detroit Lions welcome in the Chicago Bears. The game is scheduled for a 12:30 p.m. start time and it will be televised nationally on CBS. Currently the odds for the game have the Lions favored by a touchdown to get the win.
The Lions are looking to rebound after back-to-back losses to division leaders on the road in the Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots. The offense, which in years past has been the only thing that has worked for Detroit, has looked pedestrian at best as they have no touchdowns and only five field goals during that time. Facing the Bears, at Ford Field in the annual Thanksgiving game, could re-start the offense for the Lions.
Matt Stafford has to do a better job for the Lions, who are 4-1 in home games this season and are sitting in second place in the NFC North. Chicago has not had a great season with the 5-6 record. The Bears are 3-3 on the road, but won their opening two road games over San Francisco and the New York Jets. Since then, though, they've been blown out by New England and Green Bay away from home.
Detroit hasn't scored 27 points in a game since the opening week of the season, but the defense has allowed them to win games while the offense has struggled. Stafford to Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate could be a major factor in this game as the Bears are one of the worst teams in the league against the pass. Detroit has made a better attempt to run the football this season, but they will win when they throw the football and get big games from Tate and Megatron.
Matt Forte is going to have a tough going for the Bears. Detroit is the best team in the league against the run, so the Bears are going to need Jay Cutler to find Forte in the flat to get him the ball in space.
Detroit hasn't played the Bears on Turkey Day since 1999. The Lions always play on Thanksgiving but they've only won once in the last 11 years, coming last season over the Green Bay Packers 40-10. The Lions will make it two weeks in a row with a win over the Bears in this one. The offense will be able to move the football, the Lion defense will play strong against the Bears and keep Cutler from getting the football to Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery.
The Lions will break their mini-two game losing streak with a complete win.
Free Pick: Detroit 34, Chicago 20
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