Free Press sports writer Dave Birkett breaks down Sunday’s game between the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears at Soldier Field:

Know the foe

Chicago Bears (5-3)

Coach: Matt Nagy (5-3 overall, 5-3 with Bears).

Key players: QB Mitchell Trubisky, RB Jordan Howard, RB Tarik Cohen, OLB Khalil Mack, DL Akiem Hicks.

Last game: Beat the Buffalo Bills, 41-9.

Last meeting: 2017 season: Lions won, 20-10.

The buzz: The worst team in the NFC North last year, the Bears sit atop the division at the midpoint of the season thanks to a more balanced, creative offense and one of the best defenses in the NFL. Nagy spent a decade working under Andy Reid with the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, and he brought much of Reid’s offense with him to Chicago this year. The Bears use lots of motions and formations to try and create mismatches, and they have several unique skill players who help in that endeavor. The diminutive Cohen (5 feet 6) is one of the more electric players in the NFL. He has three catches of 35 or more yards this year, and he teams with Howard to give the Bears a thunder-and-lightning combo in the backfield. Trubisky is second behind Cam Newton in rushing yards by a quarterback, and he looks much improved as a passer in his second NFL season. It helps, of course, that he has three capable receivers in Taylor Gabriel, tight end Trey Burton and former Orchard Lake St. Mary’s star Allen Robinson.

More:Trailblazing Lions running back Wally Triplett dies at 92

Defensively, the Bears entered the week second in the league with a plus-10 turnover margin and eighth in sacks per pass attempt. They went from trendy up-and-comer to legitimate division contender when they acquired Mack in a September trade with the Oakland Raiders, but the All-Pro pass rusher is hardly on his own in Chicago’s defense. Hicks is one off the more underappreciated linemen in the league, Kyle Fuller is tied for the NFL lead with four interceptions, and Danny Trevathan and Roquan Smith give the Bears two dynamic linebackers. Mack, who has a team-leading five sacks, is expected back Sunday after missing the last two games with ankle and groin injuries.

The Lions will win if … they don’t give up a run of 20 yards or more. The Lions rank near the bottom of the NFL in rush defense at 142.5 yards per game, and their biggest issue with stopping the run has been allowing big plays. Five times this year the Lions have allowed a rush of 40 yards or more, and they’ve gone on to lose four of those games. The Bears don’t have any runs that long, but they are tied for sixth in the league with eight rushes of at least 20 yards. They have two capable running backs in Howard and Cohen and a quarterback in Trubisky who’s capable of making plays with his feet. If the Lions want to pull the upset Sunday, they can’t allow any chunk rushing plays.

The Bears will win if …they hold the Lions under 24 points. The Bears rank fourth in the NFL in scoring defense at 19.1 points per game, so this doesn’t seem like such a tall task. But 24 points has been a sort of line of demarcation for the Bears this year. In their three losses, they’ve allowed 24 points or more. In their five wins, they’ve held opponents to 17 points or less. The Lions, similarly, have topped 24 points four times this year, and they’ve won the last three of those games.

Matchup to watch: Lions RT Rick Wagner vs. Bears OLB Khalil Mack

Wagner had a rough go of it last week against Danielle Hunter and the Minnesota Vikings, and things won’t get any easier Sunday. Mack is the premier outside linebacker in the NFL, and before his injuries he was playing primarily on the left side of the defense. Wagner has allowed seven sacks this season and has struggled against top pass rushers Hunter and DeMarcus Lawrence. The last time he faced Mack, in 2016 with the Baltimore Ravens, Mack had six tackles, three quarterback hits and one sack. The Lions will no doubt be tempted to give Wagner help on Mack, but that could be risky with Hicks playing well at left defensive end.

Contact Dave Birkett: dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett. Download our Lions Xtra app for free on Apple and Android!



