Game 4: Chicago (27) at Chicago (37)

Chicago 27

Detroit37

SCORING

Chicago 27 Detroit 37
Final 1 2 3 4 T
Bears 0 7 6 14 27
Lions 3 0 0 34 37

September 30, 2007 Ford Field-Attendance: 60,811 (65,000) Time: 3:35
Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER CHI DET
DET FG 10:05 Jason Hanson 49 yard field goal attempt is good. 0 3
SECOND QUARTER CHI DET
CHI TD 4:16 Brian Griese pass completion to the middle to Muhsin Muhammad for 15 yards for a touchdown. 6 3
CHI PAT 4:16 Robbie Gould extra point attempt is good. 7 3
THIRD QUARTER CHI DET
CHI FG 5:08 Robbie Gould 49 yard field goal attempt is good. 10 3
CHI FG 0:49 Robbie Gould 41 yard field goal attempt is good. 13 3
FOURTH QUARTER CHI DET
DET TD 14:56 Jon Kitna pass completion to the right to Shaun McDonald for 4 yards for a touchdown. 13 9
DET PAT 14:56 Jason Hanson extra point attempt is good. 13 10
DET TD 13:14 Brian Griese pass to the left intercepted by Keith Smith and returned 64 yards for a touchdown. 13 16
DET PAT 13:14 Jason Hanson extra point attempt is good. 13 17
CHI TD 12:57 Detroit kicks off. Devin Hester returns 97 yards for a touchdown. 19 17
CHI PAT 12:57 Robbie Gould extra point attempt is good. 20 17
DET TD 10:06 Jon Kitna pass completion to the right to Troy Walters for 15 yards for a touchdown. 20 23
DET PAT 10:06 Jason Hanson extra point attempt is good. 20 24
DET TD 3:34 Kevin Jones rush to the right for 5 yards for a touchdown. 20 30
DET 3:34 Jason Hanson extra point attempt is blocked. 20 30
CHI TD 0:52 Brian Griese pass completion to the middle to Desmond Clark for 1 yard for a touchdown. 26 30
CHI PAT 0:52 Robbie Gould extra point attempt is good. 27 30
DET TD 0:45 Chicago kicks off. Casey FitzSimmons returns 41 yards for a touchdown. 27 36
DET PAT 0:45 Jason Hanson extra point attempt is good. 27 37

Statistics
Chicago Passing
C/ATT YDS AVG TD INT
B. Griese 34/52 286 5.5 2 3
Team 34/52 286 5.5 2 3
Detroit Passing
C/ATT YDS AVG TD INT
J. Kitna 20/24 247 10.3 2 0
Team 20/24 247 10.3 2 0
Chicago Rushing
CAR YDS AVG TD LG
C. Benson 15 50 3.3 0 16
G. Wolfe 3 3 1.0 0 2
A. Peterson 2 8 4.0 0 7
B. Griese 2 8 4.0 0 6
Team 22 69 3.1 0 16
Detroit Rushing
CAR YDS AVG TD LG
T. Bell 11 46 4.2 0 12
K. Jones 10 38 3.8 1 22
J. Kitna 2 -1 -0.5 0 0
J. Bradley 1 3 3.0 0 3
S. McDonald 1 9 9.0 0 9
Team 25 95 3.8 1 22
Chicago Receiving
REC YDS AVG TD LG
B. Berrian 8 99 12.4 0 26
D. Clark 7 44 6.3 1 14
R. Davis 5 38 7.6 0 12
C. Benson 5 24 4.8 0 7
M. Muhammad 5 49 9.8 1 15
A. Peterson 3 29 9.7 0 12
D. Hester 1 3 3.0 0 3
Team 34/52 286 5.5 2 3
Detroit Receiving
REC YDS AVG TD LG
R. Williams 6 53 8.8 0 19
M. Furrey 5 91 18.2 0 49
S. McDonald 3 31 10.3 1 21
T. Walters 2 36 18.0 1 21
K. Jones 2 6 3.0 0 5
T. Bell 1 7 7.0 0 7
S. McHugh 1 23 23.0 0 23
Team 20/24 247 10.3 2 0
Chicago Tackles
TKL SOL AST SK-YD
B. McGowan 10 8 2 0-0
B. Urlacher 11 7 4 0-0
A. Ogunleye 6 5 1 2-17
B. Ayanbadejo 4 4 0 0-0
T. McBride 4 3 1 0-0
J. Williams 3 2 1 1-1
R. Manning Jr. 2 2 0 0-0
H. Hillenmeyer 3 2 1 0-0
B. Berrian 2 2 0 0-0
D. Walker 2 2 0 0-0
M. Anderson 2 2 0 2-6
A. Brown 2 2 0 0-0
C. Graham 2 2 0 0-0
D. Manning 1 1 0 0-0
A. Adams 1 1 0 0-0
A. Garay 1 1 0 0-0
T. Harris 1 1 0 1-8
R. Wilson 1 1 0 0-0
F. Miller 1 1 0 0-0
I. Idonije 1 0 1 0-0
Team 60 49 11 6-32
Detroit Tackles
TKL SOL AST SK-YD
E. Sims 11 8 3 0-0
P. Lenon 10 8 2 1-10
F. Bryant 8 6 2 0-0
J. DeVries 6 6 0 3-26
T. Fisher 6 4 2 0-0
S. Rogers 5 4 1 1-9
S. Wilson 7 4 3 0-0
B. Bailey 4 3 1 0-0
C. Smith 3 3 0 0-0
K. Kennedy 4 3 1 0-0
D. White 2 2 0 0-0
L. Moore 2 2 0 1-7
T. Bell 1 1 0 0-0
C. FitzSimmons 1 1 0 0-0
B. Middleton 1 1 0 0-0
T. Lehman 1 1 0 0-0
G. Alexander 2 1 1 0-0
E. Frampton 1 1 0 0-0
D. Muhlbach 1 1 0 0-0
B. Calhoun 1 1 0 0-0
S. Cody 1 1 0 0-0
I. Alama-Francis 1 1 0 0-0
I. Bashir 1 1 0 0-0
C. Redding 1 0 1 0-0
K. Smith 1 0 1 0-0
Team 82 64 18 6-52
Chicago Interceptions
INT YDS AVG LG TD
Team 0 0 0
Detroit Interceptions
INT YDS AVG LG TD
F. Bryant 1 0 0 0 0
E. Sims 1 5 5.0 5 0
K. Smith 1 64 64.0 64 1
Team 3 69 23.0 64 1
Chicago Punting
TOT YDS AVG -20
B. Maynard 5 223 44.6 2
Team 5 223 44.6 2
Detroit Punting
TOT YDS AVG -20
N. Harris 5 217 43.4 0
Team 5 217 43.4 0
Chicago Punt Returns
TOT YDS AVG LG TD
D. Hester 5 95 19 31 0
Team 5 95 19 31 0
Detroit Punt Returns
TOT YDS AVG LG TD
T. Walters 2 17 8.5 15 0
Team 2 17 8.5 15 0
Chicago Kickoff Returns
TOT YDS AVG LG TD
D. Hester 7 219 31.3 97 1
Team 7 219 31.3 97 1
Detroit Kickoff Returns
TOT YDS AVG LG TD
C. FitzSimmons 1 41 41 41 1
B. Middleton 3 70 23.3 30 0
B. Calhoun 1 18 18 18 0
Team 5 129 25.8 41 1
Chicago Fumbles
FUM LOST REC YDS
D. Hester 2 0 0 0
B. Griese 2 0 1 0
C. Benson 1 0 0 0
Team 5 0 2 0
Detroit Fumbles
FUM LOST REC YDS
T. Bell 1 1 0 0
J. Kitna 1 1 0 0
R. Williams 1 0 0 0
K. Jones 1 0 1 0
Team 4 2 1 0
Chicago Missed Field Goals
YDS/MFG
R. Gould 52
Detroit Missed Field Goals
YDS/MFG
J. Hanson 39

Team Stat Comparison
CHI DET
1st Downs 22 19
   3rd down efficiency 7-18 2-10
   4th down efficiency 1-1 0-0
Total Yards 303 310
Passing 234 215
   Comp-Att 34-52 20-24
   Yards per pass 4.0 7.2
Rushing 69 95
   Rushing Attempts 22 25
   Yards per rush 3.1 3.8
Penalties 14-102 9-59
Sacks against 6-52 6-32
   Turnovers 3 2
     Fumbles-lost 5-0 4-2
     Interceptions thrown 3 0
Possession 30:23 29:37

RECAP:
The Detroit Lions did it all in a record-breaking fourth quarter, scoring on the ground, through the air on defense and special teams.
The new-look win took the place of a here-we-go again loss for a team that used to be the NFL's laughingstock.
''Luck is turning our way,'' Roy Williams said after Detroit beat the Chicago Bears 37-27 Sunday. ''We're a 3-1 ballclub and not a lot of teams can say that.''
No other team in league history can say they scored 34 points in the final quarter as Detroit did against the defending NFC champions, and no game included a combined 48 points in the fourth.
''We collapsed as a team at the end of the game,'' Bears coach Lovie Smith said.
Chicago (1-3) led 13-3 after three quarters in a terribly played game before both teams scored three times as many points in the final 15 minutes.
''It was a big finish,'' Williams said.
The Bears insist they're not finished, even though their quarterback change backfired and their banged-up team is reeling.
''Our season is not over,'' Brian Urlacher said. ''But we have to get better.''
''We stink right now.''
Brian Griese, starting in place of Rex Grossman, had three interceptions.
Still, the Bears still had a chance to win.
Griese threw a 1-yard pass to Desmond Clark on a fourth down with 52 seconds left to pull the Bears within three. However, the onside kick bounced to Detroit's Casey FitzSimmons and he returned it for a touchdown to seal the victory.
It was the kind of game Detroit used to lose as it put together one of the worst six-season stretches in NFL history - with at least 10 losses from 2001-2006 - but these might not be the same-old Lions.
Detroit is 3-1 for the first time since 2004 and it has already matched the number of wins it had last season in Rod Marinelli's first year as coach.
''This game was probably like me - ugly,'' Marinelli said. ''It was also like me because it was a fight.''
The Bears, meanwhile, are off to a bad start, falling to 1-3. Chicago can only hope the season turns around as it did in 2005 when it lost three of the first four games and finished 11-5.
''It can be done,'' Urlacher said. ''But we've really got to get to work.''
At quarterback, though, it might be time for Plan C.
Griese was 34-of-52 for 286 yards with two TDs and three interceptions.
Smith said he didn't consider putting Grossman in the game, but wasn't pleased with Griese's performance.
''It wasn't good enough,'' Smith said.
Griese agreed.
''If you're going to have plays that don't go your way, you better make enough to make up for it,'' he said.
Robbie Gould made field goals on consecutive drives late in the third quarter to put Chicago ahead 13-3.
Then, Detroit's offense suddenly came to life and Jon Kitna connected with Shaun McDonald for a 4-yard TD on the first play of the fourth quarter.
The Lions went ahead when Griese threw a pass directly at cornerback Keith Smith and he returned it 64 yards for a 17-13 lead.
Devin Hester quieted the crowd by returning the ensuing kick 97 yards, his seventh kick or punt return for a score in one-plus seasons, but the Bears couldn't hold onto the lead.
Kitna threw a 15-yard pass to Troy Walters, whose foot-dragging score needed a video review, and Kevin Jones capped a drive that lasted longer than 5 minutes with a short TD run to put Detroit ahead 30-20 with 3:34 left.
The game lasted 3 hours and 35 minutes, and the final quarter seemed to go on forever.
''That was long,'' Kitna said. ''I have food waiting at my house, and I hope it isn't ruined.
''That's what happens in the NFL, things can get crazy. Everything gets carried by momentum and emotional swings, and you end up with 10-3 games that turn into something like this.''
Kitna finished 20 of 24 for 247 yards with two scores, a fumble and no interceptions.
Both teams struggled to run the ball. No one had more than 50 yards rushing , and that was more problematic for Chicago because Griese was unreliable in a pass-happy offense.

Scott's Game Commentary:
What a game! And no better place to watch it in Vegas. I put quite a bit of money on the honolulu blue and silver given the injuries to the Bears secondary. Through three quarters, I was sweating my potential losses until the fourth quarter hit. What more can you say? The most points ever scored in the 4th quarter in NFL history?!?!? Thirty four points? By the time game ended I thought Bear fan was ready to kill me given I kept singing the Lions fight song every time they scored. It is quite clear the Offense is going to rely solely on the pass, but so be it. They have if not the best passsing attack in the NFL; however, also sport the worst running game. The Defense made a complete 180 degree turn from the Philly debacle and had some key turnovers in the red zone. Keith Smith's return for a touchdown started the fourth quarter barrage which I honestly never saw coming. It was a huge win for the honolulu blue and silver and one they desperately needed.

Grades:
Offense: --- First three quarters: F. Fourth Quarter: A. The first three quarters were hard to watch. When Tatem Bell fumbled the ball when it appeared the Lions were going to score in the first half, I had a feeling the Lions were doomed. Kitna and the Offense were non existant through three quarters until their backs were against the wall. Unlike last year, the Offense seems to turn it on in the 4th quarter as for the third time they came up with huge plays. Shaun McDonald continues to be a diamond in the rough - the Lions probably have the best receiving group in the NFL. Too bad the Offensive Line and running game cannot get on track. Kevin Jones is making progress but looks nothing like he did during the second half of his rookie season in 2005. Tatem Bell looks more and more like another Denver running back that falls apart outside their running back system.
Defense: --- B. The Defense played much better compared to the Philly game and once again had some key interceptions that were the difference in the game. Brian Griese looked lost making his first start in quite some time and Cedrick Benson continues to look like a bust. I have no clue what the Bears were thinking getting rid of Thomas Jones. All in all it was a great effort and they held strong in the 4th quarter when the game was on the line,
Special Teams: --- D-. What on earth were the Lions thinking kicking to Devin Hester after they took the lead in the 4th quarter?!?! I had one rotten feeling he was going to run the ball back and that is what he did! That could have cost them the game! The return game was non existant again. The only bright spot was yet another Shaun Rogers field goal block. He certainly loves blocking field goals.
Coaching: --- C. Again, why on earth you kick to Hester in the 4th quarter is beyond me! The coaching staff should have their heads examined for doing that. Still, Marinelli has the team believing in one another. Unlike last year where the Lions collapsed in the fourth quarter, this year they are coming up with the big plays. And the coaches deserve credit for that.
Overall: --- A. It certainly looked bleak when the fourth quarter came but 34 points later, the Lions find themselves 3-1 and one game back of the Packers.Up next is a road trip to Washington where the Lions have never won. If there ever was a time to break the 0 for whatever streak in Washington, this is it. The Redskins are not a good team and if the Lions can play up to their potential, they should emerge 4-1 heading into the bye week. How nice would that be? Unfortunately, I have a bad feeling something will go wrong given the curse of Washington. I will be in downtown San Diego cheering on the honolulu blue and silver. The game grades and commentary will be posted later in the week.

Click HERE to go back to my LIONS page!!

September 30, 2007	Ford Field-Attendance: 60,811 (65,000)	Time: 3:35

CHI	TD	4:16	Brian Griese pass completion to the middle to Muhsin Muhammad for 15 yards for a touchdown.	6	3

CHI	PAT	4:16	Robbie Gould extra point attempt is good.	7	3

CHI	FG	5:08	Robbie Gould 49 yard field goal attempt is good.	10	3

CHI	FG	0:49	Robbie Gould 41 yard field goal attempt is good.	13	3

DET	TD	14:56	Jon Kitna pass completion to the right to Shaun McDonald for 4 yards for a touchdown.	13	9

DET	PAT	14:56	Jason Hanson extra point attempt is good.	13	10

DET	TD	13:14	Brian Griese pass to the left intercepted by Keith Smith and returned 64 yards for a touchdown.	13	16

DET	PAT	13:14	Jason Hanson extra point attempt is good.	13	17

CHI	TD	12:57	Detroit kicks off. Devin Hester returns 97 yards for a touchdown.	19	17

CHI	PAT	12:57	Robbie Gould extra point attempt is good.	20	17

DET	TD	10:06	Jon Kitna pass completion to the right to Troy Walters for 15 yards for a touchdown.	20	23

DET	PAT	10:06	Jason Hanson extra point attempt is good.	20	24

DET	TD	3:34	Kevin Jones rush to the right for 5 yards for a touchdown.	20	30

DET		3:34	Jason Hanson extra point attempt is blocked.	20	30

CHI	TD	0:52	Brian Griese pass completion to the middle to Desmond Clark for 1 yard for a touchdown.	26	30

CHI	PAT	0:52	Robbie Gould extra point attempt is good.	27	30

DET	TD	0:45	Chicago kicks off. Casey FitzSimmons returns 41 yards for a touchdown.	27	36

DET	PAT	0:45	Jason Hanson extra point attempt is good.	27	37

	CHI	DET
1st Downs	22	19

3rd down efficiency	7-18	2-10

4th down efficiency	1-1	0-0

Total Yards	303	310

Passing	234	215

Comp-Att	34-52	20-24

Yards per pass	4.0	7.2

Rushing	69	95

Rushing Attempts	22	25

Yards per rush	3.1	3.8

Penalties	14-102	9-59

Sacks against	6-52	6-32

Turnovers	3	2

Fumbles-lost	5-0	4-2

Interceptions thrown	3	0

Possession	30:23	29:37
RECAP: The Detroit Lions did it all in a record-breaking fourth quarter, scoring on the ground, through the air on defense and special teams. The new-look win took the place of a here-we-go again loss for a team that used to be the NFL's laughingstock. ''Luck is turning our way,'' Roy Williams said after Detroit beat the Chicago Bears 37-27 Sunday. ''We're a 3-1 ballclub and not a lot of teams can say that.'' No other team in league history can say they scored 34 points in the final quarter as Detroit did against the defending NFC champions, and no game included a combined 48 points in the fourth. ''We collapsed as a team at the end of the game,'' Bears coach Lovie Smith said. Chicago (1-3) led 13-3 after three quarters in a terribly played game before both teams scored three times as many points in the final 15 minutes. ''It was a big finish,'' Williams said. The Bears insist they're not finished, even though their quarterback change backfired and their banged-up team is reeling. ''Our season is not over,'' Brian Urlacher said. ''But we have to get better.'' ''We stink right now.'' Brian Griese, starting in place of Rex Grossman, had three interceptions. Still, the Bears still had a chance to win. Griese threw a 1-yard pass to Desmond Clark on a fourth down with 52 seconds left to pull the Bears within three. However, the onside kick bounced to Detroit's Casey FitzSimmons and he returned it for a touchdown to seal the victory. It was the kind of game Detroit used to lose as it put together one of the worst six-season stretches in NFL history - with at least 10 losses from 2001-2006 - but these might not be the same-old Lions. Detroit is 3-1 for the first time since 2004 and it has already matched the number of wins it had last season in Rod Marinelli's first year as coach. ''This game was probably like me - ugly,'' Marinelli said. ''It was also like me because it was a fight.'' The Bears, meanwhile, are off to a bad start, falling to 1-3. Chicago can only hope the season turns around as it did in 2005 when it lost three of the first four games and finished 11-5. ''It can be done,'' Urlacher said. ''But we've really got to get to work.'' At quarterback, though, it might be time for Plan C. Griese was 34-of-52 for 286 yards with two TDs and three interceptions. Smith said he didn't consider putting Grossman in the game, but wasn't pleased with Griese's performance. ''It wasn't good enough,'' Smith said. Griese agreed. ''If you're going to have plays that don't go your way, you better make enough to make up for it,'' he said. Robbie Gould made field goals on consecutive drives late in the third quarter to put Chicago ahead 13-3. Then, Detroit's offense suddenly came to life and Jon Kitna connected with Shaun McDonald for a 4-yard TD on the first play of the fourth quarter. The Lions went ahead when Griese threw a pass directly at cornerback Keith Smith and he returned it 64 yards for a 17-13 lead. Devin Hester quieted the crowd by returning the ensuing kick 97 yards, his seventh kick or punt return for a score in one-plus seasons, but the Bears couldn't hold onto the lead. Kitna threw a 15-yard pass to Troy Walters, whose foot-dragging score needed a video review, and Kevin Jones capped a drive that lasted longer than 5 minutes with a short TD run to put Detroit ahead 30-20 with 3:34 left. The game lasted 3 hours and 35 minutes, and the final quarter seemed to go on forever. ''That was long,'' Kitna said. ''I have food waiting at my house, and I hope it isn't ruined. ''That's what happens in the NFL, things can get crazy. Everything gets carried by momentum and emotional swings, and you end up with 10-3 games that turn into something like this.'' Kitna finished 20 of 24 for 247 yards with two scores, a fumble and no interceptions. Both teams struggled to run the ball. No one had more than 50 yards rushing , and that was more problematic for Chicago because Griese was unreliable in a pass-happy offense. Scott's Game Commentary: What a game! And no better place to watch it in Vegas. I put quite a bit of money on the honolulu blue and silver given the injuries to the Bears secondary. Through three quarters, I was sweating my potential losses until the fourth quarter hit. What more can you say? The most points ever scored in the 4th quarter in NFL history?!?!? Thirty four points? By the time game ended I thought Bear fan was ready to kill me given I kept singing the Lions fight song every time they scored. It is quite clear the Offense is going to rely solely on the pass, but so be it. They have if not the best passsing attack in the NFL; however, also sport the worst running game. The Defense made a complete 180 degree turn from the Philly debacle and had some key turnovers in the red zone. Keith Smith's return for a touchdown started the fourth quarter barrage which I honestly never saw coming. It was a huge win for the honolulu blue and silver and one they desperately needed. Grades: Offense: --- First three quarters: F. Fourth Quarter: A. The first three quarters were hard to watch. When Tatem Bell fumbled the ball when it appeared the Lions were going to score in the first half, I had a feeling the Lions were doomed. Kitna and the Offense were non existant through three quarters until their backs were against the wall. Unlike last year, the Offense seems to turn it on in the 4th quarter as for the third time they came up with huge plays. Shaun McDonald continues to be a diamond in the rough - the Lions probably have the best receiving group in the NFL. Too bad the Offensive Line and running game cannot get on track. Kevin Jones is making progress but looks nothing like he did during the second half of his rookie season in 2005. Tatem Bell looks more and more like another Denver running back that falls apart outside their running back system. Defense: --- B. The Defense played much better compared to the Philly game and once again had some key interceptions that were the difference in the game. Brian Griese looked lost making his first start in quite some time and Cedrick Benson continues to look like a bust. I have no clue what the Bears were thinking getting rid of Thomas Jones. All in all it was a great effort and they held strong in the 4th quarter when the game was on the line, Special Teams: --- D-. What on earth were the Lions thinking kicking to Devin Hester after they took the lead in the 4th quarter?!?! I had one rotten feeling he was going to run the ball back and that is what he did! That could have cost them the game! The return game was non existant again. The only bright spot was yet another Shaun Rogers field goal block. He certainly loves blocking field goals. Coaching: --- C. Again, why on earth you kick to Hester in the 4th quarter is beyond me! The coaching staff should have their heads examined for doing that. Still, Marinelli has the team believing in one another. Unlike last year where the Lions collapsed in the fourth quarter, this year they are coming up with the big plays. And the coaches deserve credit for that. Overall: --- A. It certainly looked bleak when the fourth quarter came but 34 points later, the Lions find themselves 3-1 and one game back of the Packers.Up next is a road trip to Washington where the Lions have never won. If there ever was a time to break the 0 for whatever streak in Washington, this is it. The Redskins are not a good team and if the Lions can play up to their potential, they should emerge 4-1 heading into the bye week. How nice would that be? Unfortunately, I have a bad feeling something will go wrong given the curse of Washington. I will be in downtown San Diego cheering on the honolulu blue and silver. The game grades and commentary will be posted later in the week. Click HERE to go back to my LIONS page!!

Chicago 27 Detroit37

SCORING

RECAP:

Scott's Game Commentary:

Grades:

Click HERE to go back to my LIONS page!!

Chicago 27
Detroit37