Late in the 1997 season, one that began with a seven-game losing streak, the Bears led the Detroit Lions 17-3 in the first half and 20-17 at halftime. The Lions then went into the locker room shaking their heads.
“We couldn’t believe it,” recalled defensive tackle Mike Wells, who came to the Bears the following season. “We looked at each other and said, `We can not be losing to the Bears.'”
They didn’t. The Lions played up to the level of their scorn and disrespect, finishing the Bears off 55-20 with 45 unanswered points. The Bears simply could not stop them.
The 2002 Bears have lost eight straight coming into a game with the Lions, a team they couldn’t stop when it mattered the first time they met. But there is no sense that the NFL has lost respect for a team that has had eight of its 10 games decided by less than seven points.
The Lions went up 14-3 on the Bears when the teams played on Oct. 20. The Bears then took the lead 20-14 but then were pushed backwards on drives of 14, 12 and seven plays on successive possessions as the Lions won in overtime. And they did it by powering James Stewart for major chunks of his 172 rushing yards for the game. That’s the kind of victory that inspires overconfidence against an opponent previously beaten.
A LOOK AT THE MATCHUPS
Mano a’ mano
Bears MLB Brian Urlacher vs. Lions RB James Stewart
Stewart had his career day last month against the Bears, with 172 rushing yards and 28 receiving. He is averaging 4.8 yards per carry this season, third in the NFL among backs with at least 160 carries and 5.2 yards every time he touches the football. Urlacher is the Bears’ leading tackler and centerpiece of the defense who was mauled by a succession of Detroit blockers in the first meeting. “I know our offensive line and fullback and tight end did a good job last game and the Bears defense is going to try to put a stop to that,” said coach Marty Mornhinweg. Urlacher and the other linebackers are at the core of the Bears’ defensive philosophy, with defensive linemen’s first job being to ensure that Urlacher can get to people like Stewart.
20 Numbers game
Lions do not win often but are 8-2 in games when James Stewart carries the ball 20 or more times in the 2 1/2 seasons he has played for Detroit.
Sack attack
Sacks may be an overrated statistic in measuring defensive effectiveness. But there’s no denying the impact they have hadon the Bears’ offense with Chris Chandler at quarterback. He has been sacked once every six pass attempts. The Bears’ offensive line has had only one player–right tackle James Williams–play every game which accounts for some of the sacks. What can be done? “Going to a quicker passing game always helps,” Chandler said. “We definitely have to execute better; that starts with me and goes with everybody on the field, and that right there will cut down on a bunch of them.”
