3 key stats that defined Bears' blowout loss to Lions in Week 2

Sunday's 52-21 beatdown against the Detroit Lions could not end soon enough for the Chicago Bears, who allowed 40 or more points for the first time since Sept. 24, 2023, and 50 or more points for the first time since Nov. 9, 2014.

No matter how you slice it, the Bears were outmatched entirely in their week two matchup, and these stats show exactly how they got pummeled, and perhaps their one silver lining from the loss.

6

The Detroit Lions had six straight scoring drives between the second and fourth quarters, a remarkable step back from the Bears' relatively strong defensive performance through the first three quarters a week ago.

With just under five minutes remaining before halftime, Jared Goff capped off a 8-play, 67-yard drive with a touchdown throw to tight end Brock Wright to extend their lead to 14 points. After that, the Bears did not force a punt until the Lions' final drive of the game, a four-yard three-and-out led by backup quarterback Kyle Allen.

The Lions were (almost literally) unstoppable in the second half, and the losses of cornerback Jaylon Johnson and linebacker T.J. Edwards - who both missed the Bears' season opener - certainly did not help. Still, the Lions' ability to tack on 38 points over six drives shows how far Dennis Allen's defense has to go to become a competitive unit. There is not much else to say; it would be hard for any team, even one with Hall of Famers at every offensive position, to win with 52 points allowed.

80

Offensive line penalties, sacks and negative runs combined for 80 yards throughout the game for a Bears offense that is still looking to find their footing early in the season.

For context, the offense finished with 134 total rushing yards, with approximately 35 of them coming in garbage time when Tyson Bagent and rookie running back Kyle Monangai took over the offense. Without their contributions, the Bears' penalties, sacks, and backwards rushes nearly wiped out any production the offense had on the ground.

Mistakes are somewhat inevitable in the early part of the season, but the Bears continue to be their own worst enemy up front. Both Darnell Wright and D'Andre Swift were penalized for false starts, with Wright also being called for a 15-yard chop block penalty on Aidan Hutchinson, setting up an insurmountable second-and-32.

Add in a Braxton Jones face mask penalty and a Drew Dalman holding call, and the Bears' offensive line struggled mightily to finish with a clean stat sheet, which also features four sacks for 29 yards. Granted, the procedural penalties were better than a week ago, but this offense will find it impossible to consistently move the chains and score if the line keeps putting the unit behind the sticks.

128

Perhaps the lone bright spot of this loss was Caleb Williams' performance and his reliance on receiver Rome Odunze, who finished with a career-high 128 receiving yards

Picked together in the top 10 selections of the 2024 NFL Draft, fans have been waiting to see these two players click, especially after an up-and-down rookie season where Odunze logged just two games with more than 100 yards and 13 games with 50 yards or less.

Sunday might have been the biggest step in that endeavor, as Williams found the receiver seven times for two touchdowns. Odunze still had a few drops that could have helped out his quarterback even more, but the receiver accounted for 37% (11/30) of Williams' targets, 62% (128/207) of his passing yards, and both of his touchdowns.

Read more: Ben Johnson gets brutally honest about Dan Campbell running up the score

Fostering this connection will help Williams reliably push the ball downfield and add a new dimension to the offense as a whole. Despite the final score, it was a step in the right direction for two first-rounders whom the Bears hope they can lean on for the next decade-plus.