For the second time this season (Texans game), the Detroit Lions experienced two very different halves on game day. The first half was absolutely dominant against the Chicago Bears, but was marred by a collapse that almost cost them the game.

When evaluating a game like this, it’s important not to overlook both the good and the bad. Because in the end, the Lions not only won, but they clearly overtook the Bears both overall (405 vs. 301) and per game (5.9 vs. 5.1).

Still, there is a lot to clean up. So let’s hand out some Thanksgiving notes.

Quarterback: B

Jared Goff’s final stats were pretty modest: 21 of 34 for 221 yards, two touchdowns and a passer rating of 100.2. Like most of the season, Goff did a great job of avoiding negative plays and throwing the ball away when necessary. Still, it felt like he missed some checkdown opportunities where the Bears seemed comfortable giving up. Instead, he held onto the ball and looked for the perfect play.

Still, in a game as close as it was, not making the fatal mistake at any point in the game proved to be a pretty big deal.

Running Backs: B+

This would have been an A+ day for the defenders if not for Jahmyr Gibbs’ costly fumble in the red zone. Detroit was on its way to putting the Bears behind by 23 points in the first half when Gibbs’ fumble occurred. If he had kept the ball, there probably wouldn’t have been any drama late in the game. So I’m just giving up important points for this one move.

Still, the duo of Gibbs and David Montgomery were fantastic for the rest of the game. They combined for 175 rushing yards on just 30 carries (5.8 YPC) and added five catches for 53 yards in the receiving game. Neither found the end zone, but that was more due to some questionable red zone calls (more on that later).

Wide Receiver: B-

Once again a strong day for this group was marred by a few unusual mistakes. Jameson Williams was electric with the ball in his hands, but his day was overshadowed by a moment of coolness that cost the Lions 15 yards. He was also reported for a crackback suspension, although I personally disagreed with that request.

Amon-Ra St. Brown converted five catches for 73 yards, but a holding penalty in the red zone moved the Lions from the 2-yard line to the 14-yard line, ultimately leading to a field goal instead of a prime touchdown opportunity led.

However, Tim Patrick continues to be a very strong weapon for this team. Although he only had two catches, both were explosive plays: gains of 30 and 18 yards.

Tight Ends: A

Sam LaPorta only had three catches for 6 yards, but two of those were touchdowns – something that isn’t easy against a top-five red zone defense. Additionally, Brock Wright had another big play – a 13-yard catch that got the second half drive off to a strong start.

I didn’t notice any blocking issues with this group when using Live View.

Offensive line: A-

Even though Taylor Decker wasn’t in the lineup, the concern was legitimate, but in my opinion the offensive line performed quite well. Jared Goff only had one sack and three quarterback hits. The line also opened up big gaps in the run game early and often, resulting in Detroit’s second-highest rushing total of the season (194). Still, it’s hard to ignore the fact that the Lions failed their 3rd-and-1 attempt in the final period when Montgomery had absolutely nowhere to go and actually lost a yard. I only give them a half grade there because otherwise it was a very strong performance.

Defensive line: A-

The defensive pressure wasn’t consistent throughout the game, but it definitely came out in important moments. And given all the injuries this group has suffered, this was a pretty impressive performance from a number of reserve players.

In fact, three of the best performances of the day came from this unit:

• DJ Reader: 3 QB hits, 2.0 sacks
• Za’Darius Smith: 3 QB hits, 1.5 sacks
• Al-Quadin Muhammad: 1 QB hit, 1.0 sack, 1 pass defended

Additionally, D’Andre Swift played no role in the running game, rushing for just 39 yards on 11 carries. Essentially, the Bears had to completely shut down the run in the second half so Detroit could pin its ears back and rush the pass.

Again, there were times when the pass rush was off for too long – allowing the receivers to get deep into the game – but this group performed well in the clutch.

Linebacker: B

Early on, this group made some big plays. Malcolm Rodriguez perfectly executed a wheel route – a difficult task – and picked up a batted pass to add to his five tackles before an injury forced him from the game. Jack Campbell made a couple of great third-down plays: first he made a pressure that forced a throwaway, and then he tracked down Caleb Williams to force him out of bounds three yards in front of the bats. Even David Long was out there making plays.

But after Rodriguez’s injury, the defense stepped back significantly and some crosses through the middle became available.

Defensive Backs: C+

In my opinion, that was the biggest difference between the first and second half. In the first two quarters, the Lions secondary outplayed the Bears receivers. Williams couldn’t find anyone open, and both Terrion Arnold and Kerby Joseph came up with some big pass breakups to hold Chicago without a first down until the final seconds of the first half.

But in the second half the Lions man’s defense was no longer holding up. Occasional lapses in the pass rush didn’t help them, but as the day went on it became clear that the Bears’ talented receiving corps was too much for them. Both DJ Moore (eight catches, 97 yards, TD) and Keenan Allen (five catches, 73 yards, 2 TDs) consistently won their 1-on-1 games in the second half. 163 of their 170 total yards came in the final two quarters.

Special Teams: B

For most of the game, special teams was just fine. After sacking his first punt return, Maurice Alexander was doing just fine there, and the Lions’ coverage team only had to deal with one return – a kickoff that was tackled well before the 30-yard line.

But this unit was characterized by two key moves: one good and one bad. Jake Bates’ game-winning miss – his first missed field goal of the season – almost cost the Lions a chance to tie the game. However, Jack Fox’s final punt of the game – which was deflected at the Bears’ 1-yard line – proved to be one of the most important plays. That forced the Bears to drive the length of the field to tie the game or win the game, and if you give the Bears that much rope, they’ll eventually find a way to hang themselves with it.

Coach: B

First of all, we would like to thank the Lions coaching team for this not be Bears coaching staff. In the end, Matt Eberflus delivered a masterclass in terrible game management, and on top of his embarrassing day he also had to overcome a terrible challenge.

As for the Lions, I don’t think anything, especially Dan Campbell, was a mistake. One could argue that he should have tried it late on fourth-and-2 from his own 38-yard line – and he has tried in those situations before – but Detroit’s defense was on its heels at that point, and it would have been been terrible to possibly give them a short field. The ensuing punt was landed at the 1-yard line, so that choice worked as well as possible.

I don’t like to criticize play calls because, in hindsight, it’s the easiest and laziest thing to do. However, it just didn’t feel like offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was doing himself any favors in the red zone.

It also felt like they got out of the running game in the second half. After carrying it a total of 20 times in the first quarter, Gibbs and Montgomery only had 10 runs in the second half (although they ran significantly fewer offensive plays in the second half).

Still, I think the offense’s main problem in the second half was execution rather than poor playmaking, so overall it was a relatively positive day for the coaching staff.