Week 10 ends in another loss for the Chicago Bears going down 31-30 to the Detroit Lions at home. Did they really deserve this loss though? I, as well as many other NFL fans, don’t think so. Following a loss to the Miami Dolphins thanks to some blatantly bad calls/no calls we see more of the same in the game against Detroit.
After halftime the Bears came out firing on all cylinders. They forced back to back three and outs on the Lions’ first two drives of the half and quickly went to take a 24-10 lead with two touchdown passes to Cole Kmet. That’s when things started to go downhill.
Things started with a no call on linebacker Alex Anzalone with what clearly looked like DPI covering TE Cole Kmet on a deep pass up the sideline on 3rd and 5 that resulted in a Bears punt. Then came a Lions drive with more yards gained from Bears’ penalties than actual plays. The drive was almost stopped by a interception by Bears up and coming LB Jack Sanborn, but a flag an a phantom hands to the face call on Jaylon Johnson negated the play and ultimately led to a D’Andre Swift TD for Detroit to get them back within seven.
Those drives seemed to kill the Bears momentum as their next possession resulted in an ugly pick six thrown by Fields. Somehow though, Fields and the Bears got back out there and answered the Lions’ 14-0 run with a 67 yard rushing touchdown by Fields. Unfortunately Cairo Santos missed the following extra point, but the Bears were back on top 30-24 with nine minutes left in the 4th quarter.
Both teams then had drives resulting in punts but, with five minutes left Detroit was able to march down fields and get a TD and take a 31-30 lead. The Bears got the ball back with roughly three minutes on the clock but could get the job done. A sack on Fields, that in all likelihood should have been called for a hit after the whistle, put the Bears in 3rd and 4th and long situations that they were unable to convert on and basically ended the game.
While the Bears did have a chance to try and win in at the end, questionable penalties once again put them in a tougher position than they should’ve been in having to play against both the other team and the referees In back to back weeks Chicago’s opponents were kept in the game by the refs. Ghost calls and no calls like the Bears have seen in these games have a huge impact on the result, and for Bears fans it feels as though they’ve been cheated out of two more wins thanks to poor officiating by the NFL.
