Rapid Reaction – Defense Dominates as Bears Roll Past Lions 37-13

This one belonged to the Chicago Bears defense, start to finish.  If the Detroit Lions made an opening statement in their October 10th, the Bears’ closing argument on Sunday was much more compelling in their 37-13 smackdown of the Lions.  All week we heard about how the Bears didn’t like the Lions’ chatter during their big win on Monday Night Football.  On Sunday, the defense backed up their words with a classic Lovie Smith performance.  6 takeaways. 2 defensive scores.  Even a Devin Hester punt return for good measure.

These Bears came out from the opening series, going after the ball and creating takeaways.  Julius Peppers with a strip of Calvin Johnson, Urlacher with a recovery.  Tim Jennings with a strip of Nate Burleson.  Pick 6’s from Major Wright and Peanut Tillman on back to back series in the third quarter to blow the game open before folks had gotten back to their seats from their halftime bathroom trip.

All wasn’t seashells and balloons at Soldier Field.  Let’s look at the good and the bad points in bullet form after the jump.

• Julius Peppers is a beast!  He was all over the field yet again with a forced fumble and sack all on a bad wheel.
• Can’t give a big enough game ball to Charles Tillman.  He was straight up ballin’, pretty much single-handedly shutting down the best receiver in the NFL today.  And not just shut down, like made him want to quit playing kind of shut down.
• Near-ditto to Tim Jennings.  I was always a big skeptic, but he has made me a believer.  That little bastard is probably pound for pound the toughest guy on the Bears.  Except maybe for Jay Cutler.
• Speaking of Cutler, he got his ass whooped yet again, nearly getting decapitated by Ndamukong Suh, who is the dirtiest player in the NFL.  More on that in another post.
• It was an off day for the Bears offense.  They only put together just over 230 yards of offense.  If you’re looking for balance, though, the Bears gave you 123 through the air and 109 on the ground.   They’ll need to step up their game in the coming weeks if the Bears want to keep this current 4-game winning streak going.
• When the offense take the field next, they’ll be lining up yet another offensive line combination.  Chris Williams left the game with a wrist injury and had subsequent emergency surgery.  Sounds like the season ending injury Brian Urlacher sustained a couple of years ago.  Not good for a unit that was finally starting to come together and Williams who was very quietly having a terrific season at left guard.
• Devin Hester + rookie Lions punter + orange uniforms = TOUCHDOWN.  Hester is incredible.  Can’t say it enough.  His next return will tie his mentor Deion Sanders for most returns of any kind in league history.
• The ball on Lance Briggs for his hit on Calvin Johnson is total BS!  Just take a look at this and tell me where it’s illegal.