Detroit Lions Made Unusual NFL History in Emotional Roller Coaster Win Against the Bears

The Detroit Lions 2023 campaign is one for the ages. For the first time since the early 1960s – pre-Super Bowl Era – the team is 8-2 through their first 10 games. But win 8 did not come easy against the Chicago Bears.

This stat proves it.

Epic NFL Stat Proves Detroit Lions Resilience or Chicago Bears Inteptitude

This stat either proves the resilience of the Detroit Lions as Coach Kneecaps Dan Campbell said post-game or the ineptitude of the ’23 Bears. Perhaps both.

Never before in NFL history has a team been -3 in the turnover differential as the Lions were and had less than 20 minutes in time of possession and won the game.

Teams in that position were 0-48 in NFL history.

That stat comes from Doug Colletti who covers the Bears on their hometown AM1000 WMVP via NBCSportsChicago, who reported:

The Bears did almost everything right for three and a half quarters. They followed their script to win a game: run the ball well on offense, take the ball away on defense. Justin Fields was electric in his return and made huge plays both with his arm and his legs. It was as dominant of a performance as the Bears could have hoped for on the road against the class of the NFC North.

It all came crumbling down for another disappointing loss as the Lions scored 17 unanswered points in the final four minutes of the game.

To look at the stat from the Bears losing perspective:

From Doug Colletti our @ESPN1000 Bears statistics guru:

First time any team lost in regulation with plus 3 turnover margin and 40 minute plus time of possession. Teams were 48-0 prior to today’s epic collapse. #TakeThat

— David Kaplan (@thekapman) November 19, 2023

Ouch. Double Ouch.

Here’s how the Lions celebrated post-game with defensive star Adian Hutchenson receiving a game ball. The yell of exhilaration that Cambell lets off to open the video was one that was echoed in living rooms across Michigan.

Detroit Lions fans were not without heartstopping moment on the way to victory in Week 11. Eminem likely summed up the NSFW feeling of the Lions fanbase:

I can't fucking believe it!!!!!! Incredible!!!!!! @Lions thank you for the heart attack!!! Let's fucking goooooooooooo!!!!

— Marshall Mathers (@Eminem) November 19, 2023

Winning ugly is still a win, no matter how many hiccups it took to get there.

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