The Bears will host the Lions Sunday at Soldier Field. Here are 10 nuggets about the matchup and the all-time series between the teams:
(1) The Bears have won the last six games they've played against the Lions when Detroit's starting quarterback was not Matthew Stafford. They beat Dan Orlovsky twice in 2008, 27-23 and 34-7, Daunte Culpepper 37-23 in 2009, Drew Stanton 24-20 in 2010 and Jeff Driskel 20-13 and David Blough 24-20 in 2019.
(2) The Bears are 55-29-3 all-time at home against the Lions, their most home wins versus any NFL team.
(3) Including their contest against the Lions, the Bears are scheduled to kick off seven of their eight home games this season at noon on Sunday.
(4) Their Week 4 matchup against the Lions is the Bears' only game against an NFC North opponent over the first five weeks of the season.
(5) Bears receiver Allen Robinson II's four career touchdown catches against the Lions are tied for his most versus any NFL team (he also has four against the Dolphins).
(6) The top rushing performance in Bears history against the Lions came on Sept. 18, 1977 when Walter Payton ran for 160 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries in a 30-20 win at Soldier Field.
(7) The Bears have had 37 100-yard rushers and 14 300-yard passers all-time against the Lions, the most in both categories versus any NFL team. They are 23-14 with a 100-yard rusher and 9-5 with a 300-yard passer.
(8) The Lions' 10 kickoff returns Sept. 24, 1989 in Detroit remain the most by a Bears opponent. The Lions had so many opportunities because the Bears scored five touchdowns and four field goals in a 47-27 win.
(9) The Bears and Lions have played close games of late, with eight of the last 12 matchups—including each of the last three—decided by three or four points.
(10) The only season that both Bears-Lions games were decided in overtime was 2002 when the Lions won 23-20 in Detroit and the Bears won 20-17 in Champaign, Ill.
With the Bears preparing to play the first of five October games Sunday, senior writer Larry Mayer ranks their 10 most impressive October wins over the previous 10 seasons.
(10) Bears 24, Buccaneers 18
Oct. 23, 2011 in London
In the Bears' first regular-season game overseas, Matt Forte rushed for 145 yards and one touchdown on 25 carries and the defense intercepted four Josh Freeman passes, including one apiece by Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs.
(9) Bears 27, Ravens 24 (OT)
Oct. 15, 2017 in Baltimore
Jordan Howard rushed for 167 yards, including a 53-yard run in overtime that set up Connor Barth's winning 40-yard field goal after the Ravens had forced overtime with a TD and two-point conversion with 1:37 left in regulation.
(8) Bears 20, Vikings 10
Oct. 31, 2016 in Chicago
Akiem Hicks registered 2.0 sacks to lead a Bears defense that compiled 5.0 sacks of quarterback Sam Bradford and held the Vikings to 2-of-13 on third-down plays in an impressive Monday night win at Soldier Field.
(7) Bears 34, Panthers 29
Oct. 2, 2011 in Chicago
Matt Forte ran for a career-high 205 yards and one touchdown on 25 carries, D.J. Moore returned an interception 20 yards for a score and Devin Hester brought back a punt 69 yards for a TD.
(6) Bears 34, Cowboys 18
Oct. 1, 2012 in Dallas
Jay Cutler threw for 275 yards with two touchdowns and a 140.1 passer rating and the Bears defense intercepted five Tony Romo passes, two of which were returned for TDs by Charles Tillman and Lance Briggs.
(5) Bears 23, Panthers 22
Oct. 28, 2012 in Chicago
The Bears erased a 19-7 deficit midway through the fourth quarter as Tim Jennings returned an interception 25 yards for a touchdown and Robbie Gould booted a game-winning 41-yard field goal as time expired.
(4) Bears 41, Jaguars 3
Oct. 7, 2012 in Jacksonville
The Bears snapped a 3-3 halftime deadlock by outscoring the Jaguars 38-0 in the second half. Jay Cutler threw two TD passes and Charles Tillman and Lance Briggs returned interceptions for touchdowns.
(3) Bears 17, Panthers 3
Oct. 22, 2017 in Chicago
The Bears defense registered five sacks, three takeaways and the game's only two touchdowns as rookie safety Eddie Jackson scored his first two career TDs on a 75-yard fumble return and a 76-yard interception return.
(2) Bears 18, Chiefs 17
Oct. 11, 2015 in Kansas City
Jay Cutler threw two touchdown passes in the final 3:05, including a game-winning 7-yarder to Matt Forte with :18 to play, as the Bears rallied from a 17-6 deficit late in the fourth quarter.
(1) Bears 20, Buccaneers 19
Oct. 8, 2020 in Chicago
Cairo Santos kicked a 38-yard field goal with 1:13 remaining and DeAndre Houston-Carson broke up Tom Brady's fourth-down pass with :33 to play as the Bears edged the eventual Super Bowl champions.
