6 Weeks Later...Bears Lions 2013 Season Rematch. Game Preview

 @nategrayzone

Detroit Lions @ Chicago Bears-Sunday 11/10/13, 1:00PM EST

Two teams are returning from big wins before and after their bye weeks. Detroit Lions made a comeback prior to their bye week versus Dallas Cowboys in week 8. Wide receiver, Calvin Johnson caught 14 passes for 329 yards in that win. That was perhaps the game of the season, if not, it was a definite classic.

Chicago Bears returned from a bye week to travel for a business meeting in Green Bay with the Packers. They defeated Green Bay 27-20. This was an important divisional win for the Bears as they will host the Packers in Chicago for another meeting in week 17.

Detroit Lions took ownership of first place in the NFC North after defeating the Chicago Bears 40-32 in week 4. The following week, Detroit lost to Green Bay Packers 22-9. Since then, Detroit is 2-1, of which the one loss came from Cincinnati Bengals, whom the Bears defeated in the season opener.

Six weeks later . . .

The Bears and Lions will have their season rematch Sunday November 10 in Chicago.

With the absence of Bears quarterback, Jay Cutler and also Aaron Rodgers (GB), Detroit currently has the top QB in the NFC North with Matthew Stafford. Now Stafford will face Bears second string quarterback, Josh McCown, who was flawless in last week’s victory in Green Bay. McCown cut through the air for 272 yards and two touchdowns on 22-41 passing.

In the Bears/Lions first meeting, Reggie Bush (DET) outrushed Matt Forte (CHI) for 139 yards on 18 carries, while Forte registered 95 yards on 14 attempts. Bears receiver Alshon Jeffery caught 5 passes for 107 yards.

Bush is returning from 21 attempts and 92 yards in Lions week 8 win, while Forte is fresh from 125 yards with a touchdown on 24 carries in their week 9 victory.

Detroit and Chicago both has record setting receivers in Calvin Johnson (DET) and Alshon Jeffery (CHI). Both teams match fairly even on offense, but the defensive line goes to Detroit Lions.

The rematch is a statement game for the NFC North. If Detroit wins, they will be tied for first with Green Bay. Also they will need to win their next match with GB later in the season, while the Bears need this win, plus, defeat GB again in week 17 to be the better of the NFC North teams depending on how the remainder of the season pans out these teams.

Sunday’s match in Soldier Field will be a fight to the finish! Potentially a back and forth match, a shootout between Stafford and McCown or a run fest between Bush and Forte. Chicago is trying to avoid two losses to Detroit, while the Lions are looking to start their second half with a win since the bye week.

Bears 33 Lions 30

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