Winless Lions Lean On Stafford After Benching
By Larry Lage, AP Sports Writer
ALLEN PARK (AP) — The Detroit Lions are the NFL's only winless team for a second straight week.
The Lions (0-5) would've had company if Chicago (2-3) didn't come back to win its last two games in the final minute.
"We could easily be 0-5 right now," Bears tight end Martellus Bennett acknowledged. "There's just a couple plays here and there. I think turnovers hurt them a little bit."
Detroit had six turnovers in last week's 42-17 loss at home to Arizona, which picked off Matthew Stafford three times and got him benched for the first time in his career.
The Lions, though, are sticking with the player they selected No. 1 overall in 2009.
Jay Cutler, meanwhile, was healthy enough to play for a second straight week after missing a game with a hamstring injury and had only one interception over the two games. Despite missing key receivers Alshon Jeffery and Eddie Royal, the veteran quarterback threw two touchdown passes in the last 3:05 to win at Kansas City 18-17. Cutler helped the Bears move the ball enough the previous week to set up Robbie Gould's 49-yard field goal with 2 seconds left to lift them to a 22-20 victory against Oakland.
Here are a few things to watch when Chicago takes on Detroit at Ford Field on Sunday:
STAFFORD'S STOCK: Stafford said he couldn't recall getting taken out of a game for performance problems before at any level. Stafford has thrown more interceptions (eight) than touchdown passes (six) and his passer rating ranks 33rd in the league. "I think he's a guy who's very talented, lot of ability," Bears coach John Fox said. "You turn on tape from a year ago, which we do in our breakdowns, and for whatever reason they've kind of struggled."
BANGED-UP BEARS: The Bears might get a boost with the return of Jeffery, who has been out with a hamstring injury since Week 1. Jeffrey has practiced on at least a limited basis for the second straight week. Detroit's defense is preparing as if the 6-foot-3, 216-pounder will be on the field. He averaged 87 receptions and 1,277 yards receiving the previous two years. "He's a big target. He's their guy," Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said. "They try to get him the ball many different ways." With Royal also out at Kansas City because of a nagging ankle injury, Marquess Wilson made the most of an opportunity. Wilson was Cutler's top target, setting a career high with 85 yards receiving and a score on six receptions.
CHASING HISTORY: Drew Stanton knows what a team looks like when it is bad enough to stay winless throughout a season. Stanton had an up-close view of the Lions' infamous season in 2008, when they became the NFL's first 0-16 team. After playing for Arizona in mop-up duty during last week's rout against the Lions, he looked and sounded convinced that they have what it takes to avoid league infamy as its second 0-16 team. "They're such a better football team than we were to even talk about that," Stanton insisted.
GROUP THERAPY: Detroit's offense has been held to 17 or fewer points in four games since starting relatively well with 28 in a five-point setback at San Diego. After the latest poor performance, the Lions' offense gathered in the team's huge auditorium to watch each snap against Arizona instead of 15 or 20 plays as they usually do after each game. Players were told to speak up after each play to tell the group what they did wrong. "That was our way of flushing it," Stafford said.
FORMIDABLE FORTE: The Bears have been able to overcome losing wide receivers because running back Matt Forte is a pretty good target out of the backfield and he can also move the ball on the ground. He has carried at least 15 times in every game, averaging 88 yards. No one else on the team is averaging more than three rushing attempts. Forte has 18 receptions, trailing only tight end Martellus Bennett, and is gaining nearly 10 yards on each of his catches. Fox is glad he finally gets to coach him. "I go all the way back to when he came out of Tulane," said Fox, who is in his first year with the Bears after leading Denver and Carolina. "I really liked him. (The Panthers) ended up taking Jonathan Stewart in the first round, but Matt was a guy that I had my eye on that I liked."
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