Bears are who we thought they were — pretenders - Dan Durkin: Assembling talent on a roster is one thing; making the pieces fit and work together for a collective goal is another. There were failures of talent evaluation by Emery, and there’s been a failure by Trestman to pull this team together.
What do the Bears have left to play for? - Adam L. Jahns: Trestman’s hold on the locker room truly will be tested now. The Bears didn’t tuck and run after being blown out by the Packers, but the playoffs still were a faint dream then. It will be harder to sell that message now.
Bears in 'a place of disappointment' - Jon Greenberg: At 5-7, playing the spoiler might be the only thing the Bears have left. "Misery loves company, right?" Jared Allen said. "You're trying to take everybody down with you." Bears fans know the feeling.
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Chicago Bears 17, Detroit Lions 34
Megatron hits 10K-yard plateau as Lions handle Bears - (NFL.com): After a week of questions about his limited production of late, Calvin Johnson lifted Detroit's offense with an emphatic reminder that he's still one of the game's most dynamic players. [Highlights]
Game report - ChicagoBears.com with situational updates from the field as they unfolded during the Bears' 34-17 loss on Thanksgiving against the Lions at Ford Field. Larry Mayer's pregame Q&As.
Bears start quick, but stumble to loss - Larry Mayer: The Bears jumped to the quick start they so desperately needed Thursday in Detroit, but they were outscored 31-3 over the final three quarters in a discouraging 34-17 Thanksgiving loss to the Lions.
Lions beat Bears in Thanksgiving showdown - James Neveau: The Bears jumped out to an early 14-3 lead, but they couldn't hold on as the Lions picked up a blowout win on Thanksgiving.
After an impressive start, Bears just fell apart - Rich Campbell: The Lions outscored the Bears 21-0 in a second quarter in which they gained 199 yards on 19 plays. That enabled them to turn their pass rush loose on a one-dimensional Bears offense.
Playoff hopes fade with loss to Lions - Bob LeGere: The Bears weren't good enough on either side of the ball Thursday, which has happened too often in Marc Trestman's second season.
Thankfully, Bears' season nearing end - Barry Rozner: Once they fell behind, the Bears had no belief in their protection, no confidence that the QB could make a throw, no thought to going deep. That, in a nutshell, is your 2014 season.
Trestman punts as season officially becomes major disappointment - Adam Hoge: With the Bears losing by 17 with 5:07 left, Marc Trestman elected to punt. Intentional or not, that sent the message that the Bears were giving up.
[Video] ESPN - Jeff Dickerson breaks down the Bears' 34-17 loss to the Lions on Thanksgiving, dropping their record to 5-7.
Rapid Reaction - Michael C. Wright: Defense takes step backward in loss on road. From the locker room.
Game review - Jeff Dickerson's five things we learned: Loss means team must focus on strong finish while preparing for future.
Game review - Fred Mitchell: Without Charles Tillman to battle, Calvin Johnson dominates Bears.
[Video] PostGameLive - The PGL team reacts to loss to Detroit.
[Video] - Moon Mullin and Jen Lada on what went wrong in Bears' loss to Lions
[Video] ESPN - Tedy Bruschi breaks down the adjustments made to improve the Lions' offense and Calvin Johnson becoming the fastest in NFL history to 10,000 yards receiving during Detroit's 34-17 win over Chicago.
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Defense
Defense fizzles following fast start - Larry Mayer: The Bears defense generated a key takeaway early, but later allowed TDs on three straight possessions.
Road woes continue for Bears' defense - Michael C. Wright: Bears showed they are closer to the group that gave up 50 points at New England and Green Bay than the one that forced four turnovers against the Buccaneers.
Bears’ ‘D’ comes out smoking, but Lions adapt - Mark Potash: Once the Lions figured out what the Bears were doing, the Bears were always a hair too late to respond. When it was the Bears’ turn to adjust back, they came up empty.
Key TD passes to Calvin Johnson expose suspect secondary - Dan Wiederer: Sunday in a nutshell for Bears: On 19 second-quarter plays, the Lions had 199 yards, 21 points.
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Offense
No defense for the Bears' inept offense - Brad Biggs: The usual suspects were lined up: penalties, dropped passes, the occasional mental mistake. It's a dysfunctional offense, and that is terrible when that is the side of the ball that has been built up.
Bears offense can't sustain fast start - Not-Hub Fishbain: The Bears' offense that seemed to have the right plan early on against a stout Lions defense did what it’s done so many times this season: stalled.
Matt Forte: Talent only gets you so far - Jon Greenberg: When your best player becomes a forgotten man in a must-win game, it’s a sure sign of fundamental problems on a fundamentally poor football team.
[Video] PostGameLive - 15 on 6: Fundamentals, decisions deteriorated in second half.
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How do you make a bad loss even worse?
Read Steve Rosenbloom. That's how.
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More from the game
Season on scrap heap, playoff scenarios a mirage - David Haugh: This loss taught us what we already knew: The Bears are broken. And it's time for the McCaskeys to start fixing them, again.
Pride, integrity all that's left for Bears - Mike Imrem: The Bears' next chance is against the Cowboys in Soldier Field next Thursday. Their intangibles will be scrutinized, though at this point a fan's tattered imagination might not allow for a clear assessment.
Underachieving Bears face character questions after loss - Moon Mullin: The Bears came to a tipping point in the game, perhaps in their season, in the second quarter, when they were leading 14-10. And they were found wanting. They cracked.
Game review - Not-Hub Fishbain with quotes, things that worked, things that didn't, and key moments from the game.
Stats & Info - What went wrong for the Bears?
Game notes - Larry Mayer: Alshon Jeffery one of the Bears’ few bright spots with two TD catches; penalties continue to hurt the Bears; injury notes and more from the game.
Game notes - Adam L. Jahns: Kyle Fuller respects Calvin Johnson; Demontre Hurst rues missed opportunity; Brandon Marshall troubled early by injured left ankle. Bears slowed down Ndamukong Suh; Robbie Gould stops 5-game FG drought.
Game notes - Not-Hub Arkush: Defense overmatched against Lions; penalties again prove costly; Matt Forte passes Walter Payton's franchise record for most single-season receiving yards by a running back.
Game notes - Rich Campbell: Short passing game fails to replace effective running attack; Bears disagree with roughing the passer penalty on Willie Young's sack; team refocuses to spoiler role; injury news.
Game notes - Dan Durkin: It’s hard to win football games in which you voluntarily make yourself one-dimensional; Matt Forte focused on improving for the future; Kyle Fuller gets no brotherly love.
Fuller brothers face off against each other - Michael Rothstein: Thanksgiving provided a chance for Lions WR Corey Fuller to go against his brother Kyle.
Bears quotes - ChicagoBears.com: Inside the locker room with quotes from Bears players following Thursday's loss.
Photos - Courtesy of ChicagoBears.com ... Daily Herald.
[Video] ChicagoBears.com - The top plays from the Bears' loss to the Lions at Ford Field. [There aren't that many. - Den]
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Game grades
[Video] ESPN - Michael C. Wright awards the game ball to Alshon Jeffery for his two TD catches.
[Video] PostGameLive - The PGL crew pick their Monsters of the Game.
Game grades - Jeff Dickerson: The Bears' unwillingness to run the ball is baffling. What a waste of Matt Forte's talents.
Game grades - Mark Potash: Can’t mark Matt Forte if he never had a chance.
Moon Mullin's game grades: QB - RB - WR/TE - O-line - D-line - LB - DB - STs - coaching.
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