GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NFL: DETROIT (4-2) at CHICAGO (3-4)

NFL: DETROIT (4-2) at CHICAGO (3-4)

<h3>Lions look to end troubles on road</h3>







Detroit (4-2) at Chicago (3-4) Sunday 1:00 pm EDT


CHICAGO (Ticker) -- The Detroit Lions are 3-0 at home thisseason. But if they are going to be a legitimate playoffcontender, they have to play better on the road.


The Lions try to shake off back-to-back road blowouts Sunday,when they visit the Chicago Bears in an NFC North battle.

With running back Kevin Jones making his first start sinceDecember 10, the Lions rushed for a season-high 147 yards inlast week's 23-16 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Jones, who missed Detroit's first two games of the season,rushed for 76 yards in his first start since undergoing surgeryin December for a foot injury.


On defense, Detroit has been opportunistic, forcing 16takeaways, which is tied for the NFL lead.


But the Lions have been outscored 90-24 in their last two roadgames, getting drubbed by the Philadelphia Eagles (56-21) andthe Washington Redskins (34-3).


Detroit needs to reverse another trend as it has lost its lastto games in a Chicago by a combined score of 72-13.

"We've got to play extremely well at home," Lions coach RodMarinelli said. "We've got great fans. I've got to figure outa way to go on the road and do a better job."


The Lions are 4-2 for only the second time since Matt Millentook over as the team's president in 2001, but they don't to gettoo excited. They also started 4-2 in 2004, and finished 6-10.

Chicago is coming off a dramatic victory, driving 97 yards inthe final two minutes without a timeout to defeat thePhiladelphia Eagles, 19-16, on Brian Griese's 15-yard touchdownpass to Muhsin Muhammad with nine seconds remaining.

The win may have saved the for the Bears, who were looking atfalling to 2-5 in defense of their NFC title. Now, they hope toclimb back to .500 at the midpoint of the season.


The Bears' defense showed marked improvement, allowing only onetouchdown after giving up 12 in the previous four games. Theweek before, Minnesota rookie Adrian Peterson ran wild againstthe Bears, scoring on TD runs of 73, 67 and 35 yards.

The Bears are 2-2 since Griese replaced Rex Grossman at Detroiton September 30.


In the first meeting between the teams, the Lions scored anNFL-record 34 points in the fourth quarter en route to a 37-27victory.

 

NFL: DETROIT at CHICAGO

<div class="pre">NFL
DETROIT 0
CHICAGO 0 14:51 LEFT, 1ST QTR

CHI BALL ON CHI 39 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: DETROIT at CHICAGO

<div class="pre">NFL
DETROIT 0
CHICAGO 0 14:23 LEFT, 1ST QTR

DET BALL ON DET 10 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: DETROIT at CHICAGO

<div class="pre">NFL
DETROIT 0
CHICAGO 0 11:35 LEFT, 1ST QTR

CHI BALL ON CHI 29 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: DETROIT at CHICAGO

<div class="pre">NFL MISSED FG CHI
ROBBIE GOULD 40 YD ATTEMPT WIDE LEFT

DETROIT 0
CHICAGO 0 4:42 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: DETROIT at CHICAGO

<div class="pre">NFL
DETROIT 0
CHICAGO 0 4:42 LEFT, 1ST QTR

DET BALL ON DET 30 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: DETROIT at CHICAGO

<div class="pre">NFL END, 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
DETROIT 0 0
CHICAGO 0 0 END, 1ST QTR

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER: NONE</div>

 

NFL: DETROIT at CHICAGO

<div class="pre">NFL FG DET
JASON HANSON 26 YD

DETROIT 3
CHICAGO 0 14:56 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: DETROIT at CHICAGO

<div class="pre">NFL
DETROIT 3
CHICAGO 0 14:51 LEFT, 2ND QTR

CHI BALL ON CHI 35 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: DETROIT at CHICAGO

<div class="pre">NFL
DETROIT 3
CHICAGO 0 12:34 LEFT, 2ND QTR

DET BALL ON DET 3 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: DETROIT at CHICAGO

<div class="pre">NFL
DETROIT 3
CHICAGO 0 10:57 LEFT, 2ND QTR

CHI BALL ON CHI 45 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: DETROIT at CHICAGO

<div class="pre">NFL
DETROIT 3
CHICAGO 0 5:26 LEFT, 2ND QTR

DET BALL ON DET 7 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: DETROIT at CHICAGO

<div class="pre">NFL TWO MINUTE WARNING, 1ST HALF

DETROIT 3
CHICAGO 0

DET BALL ON CHI 4 YD LINE
1ST AND 4</div>

 

NFL: DETROIT at CHICAGO

<div class="pre">NFL TD DET
KEVIN JONES 4 YD RUN
(JASON HANSON KICK)

DETROIT 10
CHICAGO 0 1:53 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: DETROIT at CHICAGO

<div class="pre">NFL
DETROIT 10
CHICAGO 0 1:53 LEFT, 2ND QTR

CHI BALL ON CHI 20 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: DETROIT at CHICAGO

<div class="pre">NFL
DETROIT 10
CHICAGO 0 1:03 LEFT, 2ND QTR

DET BALL ON DET 22 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: DETROIT at CHICAGO

<div class="pre">NFL FG DET
JASON HANSON 52 YD

DETROIT 13
CHICAGO 0 0:05 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: DETROIT at CHICAGO

<div class="pre">NFL
DETROIT 13
CHICAGO 0 0:05 LEFT, 2ND QTR

CHI BALL ON CHI 40 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: DETROIT at CHICAGO

<div class="pre">NFL HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
DETROIT 0 13 13
CHICAGO 0 0 0 HALFTIME

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER: NONE
2ND QUARTER: DET - FG, JASON HANSON 26 YD, 0:04. Drive: 8
plays, 62 yards in 4:46. Key plays:
47-yard pass interference penalty
on Bears' Archuleta on 3rd-and-15
to Chicago 28; Kitna 23-yard pass
to Furrey to Chicago 5. DETROIT 3-0
DET - TD, KEVIN JONES 4 YD RUN (JASON HANSON
KICK), 13:07. Drive: 8 plays, 93
yards in 3:33. Key plays: Jones
19-yard run to Detroit 26; Kitna
21-yard pass to Johnson to Detroit
47; Kitna 23-yard pass to Johnson
to Chicago 30; Kitna 11-yard pass
to Williams to Chicago 19; Johnson
11-yard run to Chicago 4. DETROIT
10-0
DET - FG, JASON HANSON 52 YD, 14:55. Drive: 5
plays, 44 yards in 0:58. Key plays:
Kitna 24-yard pass to R. Williams
to Chicago 34. DETROIT 13-0</div>

 

NFL: DETROIT at CHICAGO

<div class="pre">NFL HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
DETROIT 0 13 13
CHICAGO 0 0 0 HALFTIME

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER:

NONE

2ND QUARTER:

0:04 DET - FG, J Hanson 26 Yd.
Drive: 8 plays, 62 yards in 4:46.
Key plays: 47-yard pass interference penalty on Bears' Archuleta on
3rd-and-15 to Chicago 28; Kitna 23-yard pass to Furrey to Chicago 5.
Detroit 3-0.
13:07 DET - TD, K Jones 4 Yd Run (J Hanson Kick).
Drive: 8 plays, 93 yards in 3:33.
Key plays: Jones 19-yard run to Detroit 26; Kitna 21-yard pass to
Johnson to Detroit 47; Kitna 23-yard pass to Johnson to Chicago 30; Kitna
11-yard pass to Williams to Chicago 19; Johnson 11-yard run to Chicago 4.
Detroit 10-0.
14:55 DET - FG, J Hanson 52 Yd.
Drive: 5 plays, 44 yards in 0:58.
Key plays: Kitna 24-yard pass to R. Williams to Chicago 34. Detroit
13-0.

Detroit - Chicago End 2nd Qtr Statistics

TEAM STATISTICS Detroit Chicago

FIRST DOWNS 12 8
Rushing 4 4
Passing 6 3
Penalty 2 1
THIRD DOWN EFFICIENCY 1-4-25% 3-8-38%
TOTAL NET YARDS 183 118
Total offensive plays 28 33
Average gain per play 6.5 3.6
NET YARDS RUSHING 57 39
Rushing attempts 10 15
Average gain per rush 5.7 2.6
NET YARDS PASSING 126 79
Times sacked: Number-Yards 3-17 1-7
Gross passing yards 143 86
PASS ATTEMPTS-COMPLETIONS-HAD INTERCEPTED 15-11-0 17-12-1
Avg gain per pass play 7.0 4.4
PUNTS: Number and Average 2-41.0 3-45.7
PENALTIES: Number-Yards 1-5 4-62
FUMBLES: Number-Lost 0-0 1-0
TOUCHDOWNS 1 0
Rushing 1 0
Passing 0 0
Interceptions 0 0
Other (blocked kicks, etc.) 0 0
EXTRA POINTS: Made-Attempts 1-1 0-0
Kicking: Made-Attempts 1-1 0-0
Passing: Made-Attempts 0-0 0-0
Rushing: Made-Attempts 0-0 0-0
FIELD GOALS: Made-Attempts 2-2 0-1
SAFETIES 0 0
TIME OF POSSESSION 13:42 16:18


INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Detroit Chicago

RUSHING ATT YDS AVG LG TD RUSHING ATT YDS AVG LG TD
-------------------------------------- --------------------------------------
K JONES 9 46 5.1 19 1 C BENSON 10 29 2.9 9 0
C JOHNSON 1 11 11.0 11 0 B GRIESE 3 8 2.7 9 0
A PETERSON 1 8 8.0 8 0
D HESTER 1 -6 -6.0 0 0

PASSING CM-AT-YDS IN TD LG PASSING CM-AT-YDS IN TD LG
-------------------------------------- --------------------------------------
J KITNA 11-15-143 0 0 24 B GRIESE 12-17- 86 1 0 16

Sacked-Yards Lost: J KITNA 3-17. Sacked-Yards Lost: B GRIESE 1-7.

RECEIVING NO YDS AVG LG TD RECEIVING NO YDS AVG LG TD
-------------------------------------- --------------------------------------
S MCDONALD 4 24 6.0 8 0 B BERRIAN 3 30 10.0 16 0
C JOHNSON 2 44 22.0 23 0 A PETERSON 3 16 5.3 11 0
R WILLIAMS 2 35 17.5 24 0 G OLSEN 2 12 6.0 8 0
M FURREY 1 23 23.0 23 0 C BENSON 2 10 5.0 8 0
K JONES 1 9 9.0 9 0 D CLARK 1 11 11.0 11 0
T WALTERS 1 8 8.0 8 0 M MUHAMMAD 1 7 7.0 7 0

KICKING XP/XPA FG/FGA KICKING XP/XPA FG/FGA
---------------------------------- ----------------------------------
J HANSON 1/1 2/2 R GOULD 0/0 0/1
Dist.: 26 52 Dist.: (40)</div>