Bears fall to Lions in historic Week 11 loss

The Bears’ loss to the Lions on Sunday was truly historic, as ESPN 1000 reported that no other NFL team has ever lost in regulation with a plus 3 turnover margin and a time of possession of over 40 minutes. Despite dominating the game for three and a half quarters, the Bears’ conservative playcalling, inability to make a stop on defense, and failure to capitalize on opportunities ultimately led to their disappointing loss.

The Bears followed their script perfectly for most of the game, running the ball well on offense and taking it away on defense. Justin Fields was electric in his return and made huge plays both with his arm and legs. However, it all came crumbling down in the final four minutes as the Lions scored 17 unanswered points.

The debate over what went wrong for the Bears will rage on all week, but one thing is clear: they simply aren’t good enough to beat quality teams without playing flawlessly. The questions that will be asked include whether conservative playcalling was to blame, if the team had enough talent to execute at a high rate, or if Eberflus’ H.I.T.S program is insufficient for building a winning program. Ultimately, only time will tell if these losses are just an aberration or if they’re part of a larger pattern that needs to be addressed before it’s too late for the Bears season.