Detroit Lions lose again on game's final play, 16-14, to Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving - Detroit Free Press
Jim Schwartz throwing an illegal challenge flag it was not, but Dan Campbell made a questionable coaching decision in his first Thanksgiving game Thursday that helped send the Detroit Lions to another gut-wrenching loss.
The Bears converted on third-and-4 after the penalty, and Cairo Santos made the game-winning 28-yard field goal as time expired to give the Chicago Bears a 16-14 win over the Lions at Ford Field.REACTION: It's (almost) official: Detroit Lions won't win a game this season.The Lions took a 14-13 lead late in the third quarter, but allowed the Bears (4-7) to finish the game with an 18-play, 69-yard drive that ran the final 8 minutes, 30 seconds off the clock.The Lions stopped David Montgomery on a 1-yard run on the first play after the two-minute warning, then took a timeout with 1:54 left.Dalton threw complete to Damiere Byrd for 7 yards on third-and-4 after the penalty, then took three knees before Santos came on for his third field goal of the game.Campbell lamented missed opportunities after the game — the Lions were penalized 10 times for 67 yards — but stood by his decision.The Lions committed penalties on three consecutive plays twice Thursday, including once in the first half, when two false starts and a holding penalty knocked them out of field goal range and left them in first-and-30 from midfield?The Bears took a 10-7 lead on the next possession, when Darnell Mooney beat fill-in nickel back Will Harris for a 52-yard gain on first down, and Dalton followed with a 17-yard touchdown pass to a wide open Jimmy Graham.Dalton, starting in place of injured Bears rookie Justin Fields, completed 24 of 39 passes for 317 yards with one touchdown and one interception.