DETROIT - A banged-up Detroit Lions defense held the Chicago Bears out of the endzone on their final drive of the game to hold on for a 23-20 win.
The win improves Detroit to 11-1 for the first time ever and snaps a 7 game Thanksgiving Day losing streak.
Detroit’s opening drive stalled in the red zone, but they still came away with a field goal to take a 3-0 first quarter lead.
Chicago took just 3 snaps on the offensive side of the ball in the first quarter.
The Lions opened the second quarter with a scoring play by tight end Sam LaPorta to take a 10-0 lead.
Detroit went to halftime leading 16-0 after adding a pair of field goals.
The Bears opened the second half with a touchdown scoring drive to make it a 16-7 game.
The Lions responded with a drive that ended with Sam LaPorta’s second touchdown of the day to extend their lead out to 23-7.
The Bears pulled to within 3 late in the fourth quarter thanks to a pair of touchdowns that made it 23-20 with just over 5 minutes to play. The Bears drove to near field goal range as the clock wound down, but their final pass of the game fell incomplete as Detroit held on for the win.
The Lions face Green Bay next Thursday in Detroit.
