It was a game of hard hits and turnovers. It was the kind of game the Chicago Bears usually win.
Only this time it was a rare display of Chicago turnovers, and the Detroit Lions did what the Bears have become famous for. They made them pay.The Lions took advantage of six mistakes and tied the Bears for first place in the NFC Central with a 16-6 victory Thursday.
"We played one of the better games I can remember us playing in the time I've been here," Lions coach Wayne Fontes said. "We're playing Chicago-style ball the last few weeks. We're playing very good defense, getting ahead and then seeing if the other team will make some errors."
The Lions (9-4), who have won all nine games they've played indoors this season, could produce only 208 yards on offense. But their defense intercepted four of Jim Harbaugh's passes and recovered two fumbles.
"Turnovers hurt us like crazy," Bears coach Mike Ditka said. "It's the worst thing I've ever seen in the history of football.
"We didn't play well. Just look at the mistakes we made. We took points away from ourselves and that's what I'm upset about."
Chicago, which lost its second straight game, rolled up 319 yards and controlled the ball 33:50. But the Bears, who entered the game with just 22 turnovers all season, couldn't overcome the mistakes.
"That's a copout to score six points," Ditka said. "These guys are paid to play and focus on football and we weren't focused."
Erik Kramer threw a 9-yard scoring pass to Robert Clark in the first quarter and Eddie Murray kicked three field goals, the final one from 37 yards with 2:50 left, to pace the Lions. Murray's other field goals were from 21 and 50 yards.
Barry Sanders, who ran for 220 yards and four touchdowns four days ago against Minnesota, was held by the Bears to 62 yards on 19 carries.
The last time the Lions were 9-4 was 1970, when the team coached by Joe Schmidt finished 10-4 and lost a 5-0 playoff game to the Dallas Cowboys. That 1970 team won its final five games to earn a wild-card berth.
"It feels good to be where we are right now," Fontes said. "But this game puts us in the division race, not the playoff race. We have the chance to win our division."
Mistakes plagued the Bears from the start.
Trailing 13-6 in the fourth quarter, the Bears drove from their 18 to their 47 where they had a second-and-8. Then, Harbaugh's pass intended for Dennis Gentry was intercepted at midfield by George Jamison.
The linebacker headed upfield and fumbled. But the ball was picked up by teammate Melvin Jenkins at the 35 and carried to the Bears' 20.
The Lions' offense, which had only two first downs in the second half, could move the ball only one yard. But that was enough for Murray's third field goal.
Kevin Butler kicked field goals of 27 and 22 yards for Chicago, but missed a 37-yarder early in the fourth quarter when Detroit was leading 13-6.
Harbaugh, setting a team record for completions, hit on 27 of 47 passes for 244 yards. But he threw four interceptions. Harbaugh has 235 completions this season, breaking the previous mark of 225 set by Billy Wade in 1962.
Harbaugh has thrown at least one touchdown pass in each of the Bears' nine victories. When he hasn't thrown a scoring pass, the Bears have lost.
The Lions, who have yet to win outdoors, host the New York Jets on Dec. 8 in the Silverdome, then close out the regular season at Green Bay and Buffalo.
It was an emotional victory for the Lions, playing their second game since offensive lineman Mike Utley was paralyzed from the chest down after a freak injury against the Los Angeles Rams.
Before the game, offensive tackle Lomas Brown read a message to Utley on national televison.
"You're still as big a part of this team as you ever were," Brown said in his message. "Keep the faith."