Sunday’s 31-30 victory in Chicago by the Detroit Lions was an emotional ride for fans, coaches and players. That victorious ride ended some bumpy streaks for the Lions franchise.
The Week 10 win marked the first road victory of the Dan Campbell coaching era. Detroit’s last road win came in Chicago in Week 13 of the 2020 season, the first game following the firing of head coach Matt Patricia and GM Bob Quinn. It wound up being the only win under interim head coach Darrell Bevell.
Combined with last week’s win over the Green Bay Packers, the Lions have now won consecutive games for the first time since Weeks 6 and 7 of the 2020 season. Detroit knocked off Jacksonville and Atlanta in those games, both on the road.
The win improved Detroit to 3-6 on the season and dropped the Bears to 3-7. Detroit no longer sits in the NFC North basement for the first time since they lost to the Vikings in Week 8 of 2020. Both teams ended that game at 3-5, allowing Minnesota out of the cellar.
Detroit also had not won two divisional contests in a row since the 2017 season. Those Lions beat Chicago in Week 15 and Green Bay in Week 17 to finish Jim Caldwell’s final season in Detroit.
Then there’s this tidbit:
Lions trailed Bears 24-10 entering the 4th qtr and rallied to win 31-30.
Per @stathead, it was Detroit’s 1st win after trailing by at least 14 pts entering the 4th qtr since 1993 vs Vikings (Trailed 27-13, won 30-27).
The Lions had lost 98 straight such games entering today.
— Jason Starrett (@starrettjason) November 13, 2022