CHICAGO — Detroit Lions general manager Bob Quinn sat in the press box, high above the corner of the end zone in Soldier Field, watching his team put on a shameful, embarrassing performance on Sunday afternoon, losing 34-22 to the Chicago Bears.

Quinn was about 20 feet away from me, in the second row, over my left shoulder. I glanced back, several times, trying not to stare, just to see his reaction after the Lions fell behind 26-0.

I wanted him to pound his fist on the table and scream: “This isn’t acceptable!”

I wanted him to shout: “You are all fired! I won’t tolerate this!”

But I never saw him show emotion. He had nothing but a poker face. I didn’t hear a peep, as the Bears took a 34-10 lead. All he did was glance up at a TV to watch the replay.

Quinn hasn’t spoken to the media since the NFL Draft, so we don’t know what he is thinking. But make no mistake, Quinn is responsible for this mess.

He picked this coach. He drafted many of these players.

And what do we have?

A disaster. More regression. The season is over. The Lions have lost three straight games, while showing weaknesses across the board

This is a team that was on the fringe of the playoffs last year. Now, after falling to 3-6 on Sunday, it will be hard-pressed to finish 8-8.

The Lions weren't prepared to play the NFC North-leading Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. They looked like a bunch of kindergartners, who got moved up to high school, before they were ready.

They weren’t mentally tough. They weren’t disciplined. They weren’t focused.

They were, well, nothing but embarrassing.

That’s on Quinn. That’s on coach Matt Patricia. I realize he is a rookie head coach. And he is just nine games into his tenure here.

But as the losing continues, as this team seems to regress every Sunday, it makes you wonder: Are Quinn and Patrica capable of straightening this out?

Well, at least Lions didn't quit

I’m gonna give the Lions credit for one thing. They didn’t give up, after falling behind 26-0.

They kept fighting, especially running back Kerryon Johnson. The rookie running back was still playing tough. Still running hard. Still showing heart. That’s something you can build on.

Even when he fumbled in the third quarter, he lost the ball while fighting for an extra yard. I give him props for that, for working hard. But still.

The Bears are great at punching the ball out. As a player, you have to know that.

As the Lions inched back Sunday, as they kept this a two-possession game, it only served to magnify all the mistakes they had made earlier.

There was Lions linebacker Jarrad Davis shoving Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky out of bounds, giving the Bears a first down by penalty. I understand he was frustrated. I understand the Lions were losing by 19 points at that stage. But you can’t let the frustration keep drives alive.

Another time, the Bears had third-and-4 and Devon Kennard jumped offside. That gave the Bears a first down, kept the drive going and the Bears scored a touchdown.

All of those mistakes added up to the big deficit.

They did this to themselves.

And far too much of the problem was being undisciplined.

Questionable coaching decisions

Some things defied reason. The Lions had third-and-short, and instead of using their human bulldozer, LeGarrette Blount, instead of using their stud rookie, Kerryon Johnson, they went to fullback Nick Bellore.

Of course, he was stopped.

Later, Johnson showed that he knows what to do in such a situation: Just go up and over the top for a touchdown.

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What's next for Matthew Stafford?

This was an interesting week for Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford.

The Lions needed him to have a great game, in this week after he took heat from Rich Gannon.

But he held the ball too long, at times, and a week after being sacked 10 times, he was sacked six times against the Bears.

That's improvement, I guess. Especially considering starting offensive guard T.J. Lang was out with an injury.

The second sack was the most costly because it took away points. The Lions had third down on the Chicago 29-yard line. Stafford took the sack, instead of throwing it away. That forced the Lions to punt.

All those moments added up to this loss.

Stafford threw two picks, but one was basically a punt. The only thing Chicago did wrong all day was intercept a ball on fourth down.

The Lions had so many lost chances.

And the sad thing is, it only seems to get worse.

Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @seideljeff. To read his recent columns, go to freep.com/sports/jeff-seidel.