On December 22, 2024, the Detroit Lions visited Soldier Field and delivered a 34–17 defeat to the Chicago Bears. The scoring by quarter was Detroit 13, 14, 7, 0 and Chicago 0, 14, 3, 0. Detroit built a 27-point lead through three quarters, and Chicago’s late efforts failed to shift momentum in the fourth.
Detroit’s offense showed balance and efficiency. Quarterback Jared Goff threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns to pace the attack. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs added 109 rushing yards and a score. The Lions also converted turnovers into points early, recovering a fumble from a mishandled exchange between Bears’ Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze, which set up Gibbs’ short touchdown run. Detroit’s receivers also created separation, with Jameson Williams catching passes that helped stretch Chicago’s defense.
On the Chicago side, quarterback Caleb Williams passed for 334 yards and two touchdowns, making him one of the more productive offensive weapons despite the outcome. Williams also led the team in rushing with 34 yards on six carries. Receiver Keenan Allen totaled 141 receiving yards and a touchdown, leading Chicago’s pass game. The Bears’ offense flared in moments but lacked consistency; in the second half they managed only a field goal. Chicago’s defense struggled to contain Gibbs and to force enough stops—Detroit’s drives often converted in key situations, especially after turnovers or short fields.
In the postgame press conference, Bears head coach Matt Eberflus offered an unvarnished assessment of the execution. “We didn’t respond early enough, and when the game sped up we lost leverage on both sides of the ball,” he said. He also noted that the margin of mistakes and missed opportunities defined this loss, adding that Chicago must clean up turnovers and red zone efficiency moving forward.
From Williams’s viewpoint, the result stung but the performance held some positives. “I thought we moved the ball at times and gave ourselves chances, but you can’t give a team short fields or lets them extend drives,” he remarked. He added that going forward, he intends to take more control of tempo and reduce errors. The defeat deepens Chicago’s challenges late in the season, underscoring a need for sharper consistency in all phases against division foes and playoff contenders.
