Bears Vs. Detroit Lions: Three Things To Watch For
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The annual Thanksgiving Day match up between the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions is a holiday football favorite and has fans of both teams looking at how they'll fare going into the home stretch of the season.
CBS 2's Matt Zahn has three things to watch for as the Bears take on the Lions on Thanksgiving.
Less Stuffing, More Running
Whatever your least favorite Thanksgiving side is, that's what the Bears running game has been like this year. For me, they're the green bean casserole of side dishes.
They're 29th in the league in both yards per attempt and rushing yards per game. Maybe they can get it going this week against a Lions defense weak against everything on defense.
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David Montgomery should be fresh even on a short week. He only had 13 carries against the Giants. I talked to Montgomery this week, and he feels like they're close to getting something going.
Thanksgiving Streaks
Despite what you may think, the Lions don't always play well on Thanksgiving.
In fact, they seem to alternate winning and losing streaks. They lost nine straight Turkey day games from 2004-2012, followed by four straight wins, and now back to back losses including last year to the Bears.
Add it up, and they're just 4-11 in their last 15, all played in Detroit of course. Also, this current Lions team is playing without quarterback Matthew Stafford, they're in a swoon having lost 7 of 8 games, so if you're expecting their best effort, I don't think we'll see it.
Sputtering Opening Drive
The Bears will not score on their opening drive. Again. Asked this week why they're so good in the third quarter, and awful in the first quarter, Matt Nagy said quote, "I don't know."
At least he's honest.