4 Takeaways from Lions' 24-14 Loss to Chicago Bears
The Detroit Lions marched into Soldier Field with the hopes of securing their first victory of the season.
Unfortunately, the inability to stop the Bears' offensive playmakers, poor execution in the red zone and injuries to key players early in the game immediately put an end to any hope of the Lions achieving success against their division rivals.
Here are four takeaways from the Lions' 24-14 loss to the Bears.
Bobby Price was not put in a position to succeed by coaching staff
It is no easy feat to play the position of cornerback, but the converted safety struggled mightily against the Bears.
Chicago's offensive coaching staff quickly targeted Price, and was able to execute on several large gains that put Detroit's defense in tough positions.
Despite concentrating on communication, Detroit's secondary was responsible for a couple of costly miscues.
Lions' red-zone decision-making leaves a lot to be desired
The Lions' offense did not score until its fourth opportunity in the red zone.
Not choosing to kick field goals and the coaching staff remaining aggressive in its offensive play-calling will be debated all week .
Trailing 14-0, Detroit's offense found its way into the red zone, only to walk away without scoring any points.
What was more of a head-scratcher was Detroit head coach Dan Campbell remaining aggressive, despite the obvious high-quality nature of the Bears' defense -- which was on display in the first half.
Quarterback Jared Goff again struggled to get the offense scoring in the first half, only to turn it on after halftime. Unfortunately, too many mistakes, including a turnover, and errant throws by Detroit's signal-caller left the Lions consistently in bad situations.
The decision to go for it on fourth down, instead of taking the three points, did not do anything to put a dent in Chicago's momentum, as the Bears went on to score again before Detroit was able to respond with a touchdown of its own.
Injuries occurred to key contributors on both sides of the football
Losing center Frank Ragnow and outside linebacker Romeo Okwara for the majority of the game certainly put a damper on the mood and limited the Lions' chances of winning on the road.
Ragnow is among the best offensive linemen in the NFL, and Okwara is relied upon heavily to pressure the quarterback.
Without the talented defensive lineman in Okwara, rookie Bears passer Justin Fields was able to enjoy early success against Detroit's defense.
Give credit to Charles Harris, Austin Bryant and Julian Okwara, as Detroit's defense clamped down in the second half and made Fields' life a little more difficult.
Late in the game, while trailing 24-14, Harris almost secured a turnover for Detroit's defense. He was able to knock the football loose out of Fields' hands for a loss of 24 yards, giving the offense another opportunity to claw back in the game.
Lions must find avenues to get T.J. Hockenson the football significantly more
Two targets in the first half for a player of Hockenson's caliber cannot bode well for the Lions' offense.
With the offensive line not performing to its capabilities, Goff had far less time to reach his receivers. But, if Detroit cannot find its best offensive weapon early in games, its struggles to score points will continue.
Credit to veteran Kalif Raymond for his performance against the Bears. His two touchdowns were a nice reward for a player who has been demonstrating consistently productive play each and every week in practice.
© Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports
© Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports
