01/04/26 07:00:00
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01/04 18:58 CST Lions beat playoff-bound Bears 19-16 on Bates' 42-yard field
goal as time expires
Lions beat playoff-bound Bears 19-16 on Bates' 42-yard field goal as time
expires
By ANDREW SELIGMAN
AP Sports Writer
CHICAGO (AP) --- Jared Goff led five scoring drives, Jake Bates kicked a
42-yard field goal as time expired and the Detroit Lions regrouped to beat the
NFC North champion Chicago Bears 19-16 on Sunday after blowing a 16-point lead
in the fourth quarter.
The Bears (11-6) stumbled into the playoffs with back-to-back losses, though
they secured the No. 2 seed in the NFC with Washington beating Philadelphia.
Chicago will host Green Bay in a wild-card game next week and would have
home-field advantage in the divisional round if it beats the Packers.
Caleb Williams set the franchise's single-season passing record and threw two
fourth-quarter touchdown passes as the Bears wiped out a 16-0 deficit.
The Lions (9-8) ended a disappointing season on a winning note when Bates
nailed a 42-yarder. A 26-yard pass from Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown helped set up
the field goal, and Detroit came out on top after losing three in a row.
Goff shook off his worst game of the season by throwing for 331 yards with a
touchdown and an interception. The four-time Pro Bowler completed 27 of 42
passes after setting season highs with two interceptions and three fumbles and
matched one by getting sacked five times last week at Minnesota.
St. Brown had 139 yards on 11 receptions. Gibbs ran for 80 yards and had a
touchdown catch. Avonte Maddox intercepted Williams in the end zone in the
third quarter, and the Lions closed a season that began with Super Bowl hopes
on a winning note.
Williams threw for 212 yards, giving him 3,942 this season to surpass Erik
Kramer's franchise mark of 3,838 in 1995. Chicago remains the only team without
a 4,000-yard passer.
Colston Loveland caught 10 passes for 91 yards and a touchdown. Kevin Byard had
his league-leading seventh interception.
The Bears trailed 16-0 in the opening minute of the fourth quarter when
Williams connected with Jahdae Walker for a 25-yard touchdown and broke
Kramer's record. A 2-point conversion run by Kyle Monangai cut it to 16-8.
After the Lions punted, Chicago went 88 yards for a touchdown, with Williams
finding Colston Loveland in the end zone from the 1. A lunging Cole Kmet then
hauled in the 2-point conversion pass in a crowd, tying it at 16 and whipping
the crowd into a frenzy.
The Lions then had the ball at the Chicago 35 when Goff attempted to zip a pass
to St. Brown. The Bears' Jaquan Brisker tipped the ball and Byard picked it off
at the 5.
Injuries
Lions: WR Tom Kennedy (rib) was hurt returning a punt in the third quarter.
Bears: The Bears held out LT Ozzy Trapilo (knee/quad) after he was limited in
practice during the week. ... LB Ty Summers (foot) left after he was injured on
the opening kickoff.
Up next
Lions: Start the offseason.
Bears: Host Green Bay in a wild-card game next weekend.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
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