The Thanksgiving triple-header kicks off with an NFC North showdown in Motown. The Chicago Bears led by rookie quarterback Caleb Williams head up to Detroit to face Jared Goff and his NFC-leading Lions. The teams will meet at Ford Field with kickoff scheduled for 12:30 p.m. ET. So, grab another piece of turkey and a slice of pumpkin pie and let’s take a look at this Bears-Lions preview and predictions.
Chicago started the season 4-2 before falling apart. They’ve now lost five games in a row. Three of those games have been by three points or less including an overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings last week, a one-point loss to the Green Bay Packers the week before and the Hail Mary loss to the Washington Commanders.
The Lions are the hottest team in the NFL and are now the favorites to win the Super Bowl. They come in with a record of 10-1. Their wins have been the opposite of Chicago’s losses. Over their last five games, they have three wins of 18 or more including a 52-6 win over Jacksonville and a 52-14 win over Tennessee. They hold the keys to their own destiny in the race for the number one seed in the NFC.
Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions Preview and Predictions Video
Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions Preview and Predictions
Jahmyr Gibbs Over 19.5 Receiving Yards (-121)
David Montgomery injured his shoulder in the Lions’ win over the Colts on Sunday. His status for Thursday reminds up in the air as of now, but as Dan Campbell alluded to, the Lions have bigger fish to fry than just this Thanksgiving day game. Whether Montgomery plays or not, Gibbs is going to see more action. More snaps mean more opportunities for him to be the check-down man when Jared Goff is under pressure, which he should be at times from this Bears defense.
Gibbs has already crossed this mark in two of the Lions last three games and six times overall on the season. 16 times in his short career the explosive Gibbs has surpassed 20 yards through the air, including a six catch 59 yard game against the Bears last year.
Detroit Lions -9.5 (-117)
Thanksgiving game, divisional matchup, Chicago has kept teams close lately. You have to take the Bears here right? Wrong. This Lions team just doesn’t slow down. Dan Campbell is likely to bring a live Turkey into the locker room pre-game and bite its kneecaps just to prove a point to his team. The Lions don’t take weeks off, and at home in the comfort of their dome, they’ll be hard to stop. The Lions aren’t phased by big spreads, they blow teams out. That’s why they are the best team ATS on the season at 9-2.
