Wikipedia

2024 Chicago Bears–Detroit Lions Thanksgiving game

The 2024 Chicago Bears–Detroit Lions Thanksgiving game was a National Football League (NFL) game played at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, on November 28, 2024, as part of the 2024 NFL season. The game saw the Detroit Lions secure a 23–20 victory over the Chicago Bears.

2024 Chicago Bears–Detroit Lions Thanksgiving game
DateNovember 28, 2024
Kickoff time12:30 p.m. EST
StadiumFord Field, Detroit, Michigan
FavoriteLions by 10
RefereeAlan Eck
Attendance64,275
Ceremonies
National anthemMike Phillips
Halftime showShaboozey
TV in the United States
NetworkCBS
AnnouncersJim Nantz, Tony Romo, and Tracy Wolfson

The game was considered especially notable for the Bears' final drive that culminated in what was described by several media outlets, NFL figures, and sports fans as among the worst examples of clock management in league history. The game also marked one of four one-score last-moment losses by the Bears in the season, decided by a total of just ten points. These included the Madhouse in Maryland and losses to all three NFC North division rivals despite rookie quarterback Caleb Williams' performances allowing them the chance to win, with many deeming the Thanksgiving loss as the worst. The loss proved very consequential for Chicago, leading to the unprecedented mid-season dismissal of head coach Matt Eberflus the following day, the first such firing in the Bears' 105-year history.

The game was also widely regarded as historic for improving Detroit's record to 11–1, marking their best start in franchise history while simultaneously ending their seven-game Thanksgiving losing streak. The win also tied a franchise record for consecutive victories, matching the ten-game winning streak of the 1934 Lions team, their first season in Detroit.

Background

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See also: Bears–Lions rivalry

Chicago Bears

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The prior month of the Chicago Bears was marked by a series of particularly difficult one-score losses, despite starting the season at 4–2. The Bears experienced three defeats decided on final plays, beginning with an October 27 loss to Washington on a last-second Hail Mary completion. The Bears lost two consecutive games against NFC North divisional rivals, including a blocked potential game-winning field goal against the Green Bay Packers, and a miraculous comeback to force overtime only to lose off of a sack and game-winning field goal by the Minnesota Vikings.[1]

Bears head coach Matt Eberflus had been cited by sports journalists and many Bears fans as one of, if not the primary source for the Bears' struggles. His tenure up to the game included a franchise-record 14-game losing streak spanning the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Despite showing improvement toward the end of the 2023 season and securing quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in 2024, the team's development did not meet expectations, falling to 4–7 prior to the game.[1]

Detroit Lions

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Despite achieving a remarkable 10–1 start to the season, the Lions entered their 2024 holiday matchup carrying a seven-game losing streak in Thanksgiving contests, referred to as a Thanksgiving "curse" by media outlets. The 2024 matchup against the Chicago Bears marked the 20th Thanksgiving Day meeting between the longtime division rivals. Prior to this contest, Detroit held an 8–11 record against Chicago in Thanksgiving games, with an all-time Thanksgiving record that stood at 37–45–2. The game also held particular significance for the organization due to a victory granting the team their tenth consecutive victory of the season, standing in contrast with their past Thanksgiving losses.[2]

The Lions honored the late John Madden with commemorative jersey patches, and the contest drew celebrity attendees including rapper Eminem, actor Tim Allen, and Olympic gymnast Simone Biles. Injured Lions Pro Bowl edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson observed the game from a suite.[3] Saxophonist Mike Phillips played an instrumental version of the national anthem before the game, which was highly regarded among NFL fans.[4]

Game summary

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First half

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Detroit established control of the game in the first half with a 16–0 lead, though their red zone efficiency presented concerns. Despite multiple opportunities, the Lions were forced to settle for three field goals and recorded one red zone turnover. Chicago's offense struggled significantly, managing only 53 total yards and possessing the ball for just over seven minutes in the opening half. The Lions' defense proved particularly effective, preventing Chicago from recording a single first down without penalty assistance during the first half.[5][6]

The Detroit Lions initiated the scoring with an opening drive that concluded at 7:06 in the first quarter. Placekicker Jake Bates successfully converted a 30-yard field goal, completing a 15-play, 58-yard drive that consumed 7:54 of game time. The drive featured effective ball control, with running back David Montgomery and quarterback Jared Goff orchestrating several key plays. The Bears' offense struggled to establish rhythm in the beginning, with an early drive disrupted by a backfield tackle from defensive end Josh Paschal and complicated by an injury to DJ Moore following a deep pass attempt. Detroit expanded their lead later in the quarter through a 90-yard drive requiring 10 plays and consuming 5:33 of game clock. The sequence culminated in a 3-yard touchdown pass from Jared Goff to tight end Sam LaPorta at 14:55 of the second quarter, with Bates adding the extra point.[7][8]

The Lions continued their scoring momentum with two additional field goals in the second quarter. Jake Bates successfully converted a 36-yard attempt at 7:15, concluding an 11-play, 56-yard drive that took 5:26 off the clock. Bates later added a 48-yard field goal at 3:11, completing a 9-play, 39-yard drive that consumed 3:02 of game time.[7] Notable defensive breakdowns by the Bears occurred when Bears tackle Darrell Taylor jumped offsides on a crucial fourth-down situation. Caleb Williams struggled with timing and pocket presence in the first half, completing only 5 of 15 passes for 34 yards in the first half, while Chicago managed just 19 rushing yards.[8]

Country musician and rapper Shaboozey performed for the halftime show. Many sports writers and NFL fans joked that his performance lasted longer than the Bears' time of possession during the first half.[9][10]

Second half

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Chicago finally broke through at 9:47 in the third quarter when quarterback Caleb Williams connected with wide receiver Keenan Allen on a 31-yard touchdown pass. Chicago kicker Cairo Santos successfully converted the extra point, finishing a 9-play, 74-yard drive that required 5:13 of game time. The Lions responded with a 78-yard scoring drive. The sequence concluded with Jared Goff finding Sam LaPorta for their second touchdown connection of the day, this time from 1 yard out at 2:43. Bates' successful extra point extended Detroit's lead to 23–7. This crucial drive consumed 7:04 of game clock over 11 plays.[7][8]

Chicago mounted a serious comeback attempt in the final quarter. At 13:40, Williams found Keenan Allen again for a 9-yard touchdown pass, though the subsequent two-point conversion attempt failed. This scoring drive covered 70 yards in 8 plays, taking 4:03 off the clock. The Bears' final touchdown came at 5:36 when Williams connected with his wide receiver DJ Moore on a 31-yard scoring play. Santos successfully converted the extra point, bringing the final score to 23–20. This drive consisted of 8 plays covering 65 yards in 3:06, though Chicago's subsequent attempts to complete the comeback fell short.[7][8]

Final Bears drive

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In the closing moments of the game, the Chicago Bears' potential game-winning drive was derailed by a combination of penalties, protection breakdowns, and time management issues that would spark notoriety. The sequence began promisingly with Caleb Williams completing a 12-yard pass to Keenan Allen, advancing to the Lions' 13-yard line. The Bears received a fortunate break when officials identified pass interference by former Bear Kindle Vildor against tight end Cole Kmet. However, an illegal hands to the face penalty against guard Tevin Jenkins nullified this progress, pushing Chicago back to the 35-yard line and on the verge on field goal range. On the subsequent second down play, a critical protection breakdown occurred when backup tackle Larry Borom failed to respond to the snap count amid Ford Field's crowd noise. This error allowed Lions defender Za'Darius Smith an unimpeded path to Williams, resulting in a six-yard loss.[8][11][12]

After Williams' costly sack on second down, Chicago faced a third-and-long situation from Detroit's 41-yard line with approximately 32 seconds remaining and one timeout available.[6] Instead of utilizing their final timeout to organize the offense, the Bears attempted to execute their next play using a no-huddle approach. This decision proved costly as the offense's delayed reassembly at the line of scrimmage consumed more than 25 seconds of time necessary to run additional plays that could win or tie the game. Despite having one timeout remaining and Cairo Santos having successfully converted from 57 yards during pregame warmups, the team elected not to call timeout. The subsequent play with only a few seconds on the clock resulted in an incomplete pass near the end zone as time expired, preventing any opportunity for a potential game-tying field goal attempt. Chicago's loss was so notable that Detroit staff and players (especially defensive cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Amik Robertson) were shown on camera as momentarily stunned and in disbelief. The Bears still held their time out at the game's conclusion despite it potentially allowing the Bears to stop the clock for additional plays or to set up a long game-tying field goal attempt.[5][8][11][12]

Box score

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Week 13: Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Bears 0 0 71320
Lions 3 13 7023

at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

  • Date: November 28
  • Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST/11:30 a.m. CST
  • Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
  • Game attendance: 64,275
  • Referee: Alan Eck
  • TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Aftermath and significance

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Chicago Bears

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The game resulted in the Bears losing their sixth straight game and falling to 4–8 on the 2024 season, staying the only team in the NFC North to have a record below .500 during the 2024 season.[13]

In his post-game media conference, Bears head coach Matt Eberflus explained the rationale behind his decision-making process. He indicated the original strategy involved attempting to execute another play with approximately 18 seconds remaining, intending to advance into more favorable field goal position before utilizing the timeout. However, as the game clock reached 12 seconds, he elected to proceed with the play rather than stop the clock, claiming that the operational pace of the players on field fell short of the intended plan. Eberflus defended the final sequence of decisions, maintaining that the strategy was sound but the execution fell short.[11][14] Questions regarding Eberflus' job security intensified following the loss. While maintaining that operations remained "normal," he disclosed meetings with general manager Ryan Poles and team president Kevin Warren, with additional discussions scheduled. When questioned about his status for the upcoming San Francisco game, Eberflus expressed confidence in his continued role while acknowledging ongoing organizational discussions.[12]

In his post-game comments, Caleb Williams acknowledged that such strategic choices and management of time outs remained within the coaching staff's purview at this stage of his career, whereas his role in the system was to execute plays given to him.[11] Williams also stated that he lacked direct communication capability with Eberflus during the crucial sequence, forcing him to simultaneously organize his teammates, arrange the offense in proper formation, and adapt the play call as time diminished.[15]

Several news articles and reporters noted that the response from Bears players following the game suggested deep distrust with team leadership. Veteran receiver Keenan Allen's post-game comment that the players "did enough to win the game" suggested friction between the locker room and coaching staff. Former Bears head coach Dave Wannstedt highlighted this dynamic as particularly troubling, emphasizing that while coaches can survive losses, losing locker room support typically proves terminal for coaching tenure.[12]

Firing of Matt Eberflus

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On the day after the game, the Chicago Bears fired Matt Eberflus as head coach, representing the first mid-season coaching dismissal in the 105-year-old franchise's history. The decision came mere hours after Eberflus expressed confidence in his continued leadership during a morning press conference. The organization appointed offensive coordinator Thomas Brown as interim head coach. The decision came after a particularly challenging sequence of defeats, with the team having lost six consecutive games after a promising 4–2 start to the season, four of which were one-score games and three being consecutive one-score last-moment losses to all three NFC North divisional rival teams.[16][17][1][18]

His 5–17 record in one-score games ranked last among 221 NFL coaches who had managed 20 or more such contests, with a .227 winning percentage. Cited mistakes included defensive alignment decisions that enabled a Washington Commanders Hail Mary victory, conservative play-calling preceding a blocked field goal attempt against Green Bay, and the earlier timeout management in the Thanksgiving Day loss to Detroit.[18] Eberflus concluded his Bears tenure with a 14–32 record across multiple seasons, never achieving a playoff appearance. His original contract reportedly extended through 2026, leaving two years of terms unfulfilled.[1]

Detroit Lions

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The Lions' victory over the Bears solidified Detroit's position at the top of the NFC North and a leading contender in the NFL's 2024 season with an 11–1 record. The historic record represented the most wins at this point in the season in the franchise's history.[3] The victory also broke the Thanksgiving "curse" of seven consecutive losses, and led the Lions to ten consecutive wins.[2]

The victory came with significant defensive personnel losses, as defensive linemen Levi Onwuzurike (hamstring) and Josh Paschal (knee) exited the game, and linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez suffered a season-ending ACL tear. These injuries added to Detroit's existing defensive challenges, with several key players already on injured reserve, including Pro Bowler edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson and linebacker Alex Anzalone, leading to concerns about the team's ability to make it through the playoffs.[3]

Reactions

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The conclusion of the game generated significant criticism from prominent NFL figures including NFL Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe, former linebacker Emmanuel Acho, Dave Portnoy, Mina Kimes, Mike Freeman, Benjamin Solak, and Field Yates, several of whom deemed it among the worst time management in the history of the NFL.[6][19][20] Former defensive lineman J.J. Watt, ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky, and sports writer Russell Dorsey each independently characterized the botched time management during the final drive as "coaching malpractice". NFL Network personality Kyle Brandt contextualized the loss within the Bears' broader pattern of devastating defeats in 2024, and described the season on Twitter/X as "You can’t imagine it gets more brutal. And then it does. And then it does 3 more times," and compared the season to "watching a SAW movie."[14][19] Several game watchers mocked the Bears' clock performance with memes and videos of Bears fans reacting to the time running out.[21][22]

Particular ire and confusion was directed at Matt Eberflus for his role in the mismanagement, with several figures such as former safety Ryan Clark, Dan Wiederer, Rich Hofmann, Nick Wright, and Stephen A. Smith calling for his firing from the organization.[6][19][20][23] Jason Lieser, Bears beat writer for the Chicago Sun-Times, defended Caleb Williams' clock mismanagement while organizing what would end up as the game's final play, and called Eberflus' implicit shifting of blame to Williams "inexcusable". Former head coach Bill Cowher described Eberflus as having "just froze" as the time ran out. Sports media personality Colin Cowherd sarcastically stated that the game had forced him to eliminate Eberflus from his "coach of the year consideration".[24] Former quarterback and sports analyst Robert Griffin III called Eberflus' remaining final timeout at the end of the game "a Thanksgiving mistake he may never recover from".[19]

While several figures put some blame for the game's outcome on Williams' inability to speed up the final play or call the timeout for himself and for sacks prior to the final play, many were more forgiving due to his rookie status, his success in bringing the Bears to within one score during the second half, and due to Eberflus' role in the loss. Many also appreciated Williams for setting a new NFL rookie record with 212 consecutive pass attempts without throwing an interception, surpassing Kyler Murray's previous mark of 211. Williams' third quarter touchdown pass to Keenan Allen was his 12th of the season, breaking the Bears rookie record for touchdown passes set by Charlie O'Rourke in the 1942 season.[25]

Broadcast reactions

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In the post-game show, CBS analyst and former quarterback Matt Ryan stated:

"This is unacceptable. From the head coach position, your responsibility is to not panic in critical situations to put your team in the best opportunity to win games. That’s a massive, massive fail by Matt Eberflus."

— Matt Ryan, CBS Sports

Hall of Fame and Super Bowl winning former head coach Jimmy Johnson stated during the halftime show of the afternoon New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving game that he had never seen such dysfunction "in 70 years of coaching at all three levels" to the point where a team would cost themselves a chance to win, and condemned Eberflus's refusal to call a timeout as soon as the intended plan became complicated.[26]

See also

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  • Madhouse in Maryland, another infamous last-play Chicago Bears loss earlier in the 2024 season
  • Butt Fumble, infamous Thanksgiving game in the 2012 season
  • Miracle at the Meadowlands, notorious loss in the 1978 season that also resulted in the firing of the coach responsible for the game-losing play

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Sam, Doric. "Matt Eberflus Fired as Bears HC amid Struggles, Late-Game Error vs. Lions". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  2. ^ a b "Everything Dan Campbell Said After Lions Beat Colts". Detroit Lions On SI. 2024-11-25. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  3. ^ a b c "Lions go to 11-1 with first Thanksgiving win since 2016". ESPN.com. 2024-11-28. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  4. ^ "NFL Fans Loved Smooth Saxophone Rendition of National Anthem to Kick Off Thanksgiving Slate". SI. 2024-11-28. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  5. ^ a b "Lions extend win streak to 10 games, hold off Bears for 23-20 victory". ESPN. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  6. ^ a b c d Chiari, Mike. "NFL Fans Criticize Bears' Epic Blunder as Caleb Williams Sets Record in Loss to Lions". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  7. ^ a b c d "Lions 23-20 Bears (Nov 28, 2024) Play-by-Play". ESPN. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  8. ^ a b c d e f "Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions In-Game Blog". Chicago Bears On SI. 2024-11-28. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  9. ^ Dobkin, Rachel (2024-11-28). "NFL fans joke Shaboozey half-time show "on field longer than Bears offense"". Newsweek. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  10. ^ Hadley, Taylyn. "NFL Fans Troll Bears, Jack Harlow While Hyping Shaboozey's Thanksgiving Halftime Show". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  11. ^ a b c d "Poor clock management on final drive costly for Bears in 23-20 loss to Lions on Thanksgiving". AP News. 2024-11-28. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  12. ^ a b c d "Eberflus answers questions about his future after Bears' disappointing loss to Lions". NBC Chicago. 2024-11-29. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  13. ^ Davis, Nate. "Matt Eberflus fired by Bears, first time century-old franchise has made midseason switch". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  14. ^ a b "Chicago Bears take another excruciating loss after they fail to use remaining timeout". NBC News. 2024-11-28. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  15. ^ Pendleton, Mike. "Bears QB Caleb Williams addresses end-of-game sequence vs. Lions". Bears Wire. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  16. ^ "Bears relieve Eberflus of duties, elevate Brown". ChicagoBears.com (Press release). November 29, 2024. Retrieved December 1, 2024.{{cite press release}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ^ Patra, Kevin (November 29, 2024). "Bears fire Matt Eberflus following 4-8 start to season; Thomas Brown named interim head coach". NFL.com. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
  18. ^ a b Bizzle, Jeramie; Feurer, Todd (2024-11-29). "Chicago Bears fire coach Matt Eberflus mid-season, first in franchise history - CBS Chicago". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  19. ^ a b c d Keeley, Sean (2024-11-28). "Sports media world eviscerates Matt Eberflus' 'coaching malpractice'". Awful Announcing. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  20. ^ a b "'A disaster in the making': Chicago Bears urged to act after 'absolute coaching malpractice' stuns". Fox Sports. 2024-11-28. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  21. ^ "'All time disaster': Football fans react to epic Bears blunder in loss to Lions". Sportsnet.ca. 2024-11-28. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  22. ^ ""What Are They Doing?" Bears Fan Goes Viral With Millions Of Views Reacting To Loss On Thanksgiving - Gridiron Heroics". gridironheroics.com. 2024-11-29. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  23. ^ Simpson, Jason (2024-11-29). "Chicago Bears destroyed by sports world for ugly ending to Detroit Lions game". Ahn Fire Digital. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  24. ^ "NFL media reacts to stunning finish to Bears-Lions Thanksgiving game". NBC Chicago. 2024-11-28. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  25. ^ "Caleb Williams makes history in Bears vs. Lions battle". NBC Chicago. 2024-11-28. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  26. ^ Dixon, Michael (2024-11-29). "Jimmy Johnson rips Matt Eberflus, Bears 'dysfunction'". Awful Announcing. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
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