The Lions had an elite offense the last three seasons, including the best in the NFL last season, and that should weigh much more heavily on the Bears’ minds than their dud of an opener last week.
True, the Lions managed just 13 points — just six before a last-minute touchdown — while losing handily to the Packers in their first game since former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson bolted to coach the Bears.
Also, true: Most of the main characters other than Johnson remain in place heading into the game Sunday at Ford Field.
Quarterback Jared Goff finished fifth in MVP voting last season. Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is a two-time All-Pro who has averaged more than 1,200 yards his last three seasons. Running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery form arguably the best backfield tandem in the league.
“They’re a talented group, talented offense … so it doesn’t change too much,” Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson said before practice Thursday. “Just because you have one down game the first week doesn’t really mean too much.”
The Bears had trouble with all of them at different points in their two losses to the Lions last season, and in both games the Lions were up two scores by halftime.
Goff threw five touchdown passes and posted a 118 passer rating over the two matchups. Wide receiver Jameson Williams and St. Brown combined for 314 yards receiving. Tight end Sam LaPorta had three touchdown catches. Gibbs and Montgomery totaled 175 yards rushing in the first game, and with Montgomery out for the second one, Gibbs ran for 109.
Every single one of them will play Sunday and be highly motivated coming off the loss.
The main storyline in the Lions’ offseason was the question of how they’d withstand the departures of Ben Johnson and former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, now the Jets’ head coach. Losing 27-13 in the opener was confirmation for all the doubters.
The Lions didn’t feel that way, though, and they’ve earned the right to point to their track record and stay steady. When Goff said Sunday in Green Bay that there’s “urgency to improve” and he intends to lead that effort, it’s believable.
Their head coach is still there, by the way. Dan Campbell went 36-15 with two playoff wins the last three seasons, and the hint of annoyance in his voice when he has been peppered with Johnson-related questions this week is likely some resentment that Johnson seems to be getting a disproportionate amount of credit for the Lions’ turnaround.
Campbell has proven to be an excellent CEO-style coach, and there’s every reason to expect he’ll intervene in the offense and help new coordinator John Morton get on track.
The surest way for the Lions to get rolling again is to get Gibbs and Montgomery in rhythm, and that strikes at a vulnerability for the Bears. Even more so if injured veteran defensive tackle Grady Jarrett is out.
They had the fifth-worst run defense in the league last season and fell apart in that aspect against the Vikings on Monday. They gave up 6.3 yards per carry in the fourth quarter, allowing quarterback J.J. McCarthy to get some breathing room and opening the door for the Vikings to rally from a 17-6 deficit to a 27-24 victory.
That will be the most enticing piece of game film to the Lions.
“They have a ‘bully ball’ mentality,” Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said. “Everything starts with this football team [with] their ability to run the football.”
The Packers shut that down because they’re simply a better defense and they probably caught the Lions at the best possible time with it being their first game under a new coordinator. The Bears, meanwhile, might be catching them at exactly the wrong time now that the Lions have had a chance to regroup and make up for a rough start.
