| Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions | |||||
| Sep 14, 2025 | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| Chicago Bears (0-2) | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| Detroit Lions (2-0) | 10 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 37 |
Gibbs Goes the Distance as Lions Roar Past Bears, 37-17
By Tim Twentyman, Detroit — September 7, 2023
The Detroit Lions wasted no time reminding the league they’re a force to be reckoned with. Behind a career day from running back Jahmyr Gibbs and a clean performance from quarterback Jared Goff, Detroit steamrolled the Chicago Bears 37-17 at Ford Field to improve to 2-0 on the season.
Gibbs turned in one of the most electrifying plays in recent Lions history — a 99-yard touchdown run in the first quarter that left Bears defenders gasping for air and the Ford Field crowd in a frenzy. The second-year back finished with 183 rushing yards on just 18 carries and two scores, averaging a jaw-dropping 10.2 yards per attempt.
“When I saw daylight, I knew I wasn’t stopping,” Gibbs said with a grin. “Credit to my O-line — they gave me a runway.”
First Half: Setting the Tone
Detroit opened with Gibbs’ long-distance dash, then added a Jake Bates 31-yard field goal for an early 10-0 advantage. The Lions kept their foot on the gas in the second quarter — Goff (25/38, 268 YDS, 2 TD) found Jameson Williams for a 37-yard strike, and Bates drilled a 55-yarder to make it 20-3.
Chicago, led by rookie QB Caleb Williams (26/40, 241 YDS, 2 TD), found some life with a Cairo Santos 46-yard field goal and an 11-yard TD toss to Rome Odunze just before halftime, but still trailed 20-10.
Second Half: All Lions
The Bears’ momentum was short-lived. In the third quarter, Goff connected with Sam LaPorta from three yards out, pushing the lead to 27-10. Chicago answered again with Odunze’s second touchdown, but Detroit counterpunched with another Bates field goal.
Gibbs delivered the knockout blow in the fourth, slicing through the Bears’ front for a 25-yard TD run that sent fans to their feet and Chicago to the loss column.
Lions by the Numbers
- Total Offense: 485 yards (226 rushing, 259 passing)
- Time of Possession: 32:06
- Turnovers: 0
Detroit’s defense was equally impressive, holding Chicago to just 55 rushing yards and keeping Williams under constant duress. Linebacker Alex Anzalone led the charge with 10 tackles and 2 sacks, while Za'Darius Smith and Aidan Hutchinson added pressure up front.
What’s Next
The Lions head to Baltimore for a Monday Night Football tilt with the Ravens (1-1), while the Bears head back to the drawing board in search of their first win.
If Gibbs keeps running like this, Detroit might have to start printing playoff tickets early.
LOCKER ROOM CELEBRATION.
Dan Campbell:
"GET IN HERE! GET IN HERE! CLOSE IT UP!"
"That… THAT is what the hell I’m talkin’ about! That’s Lions football right there, baby! Every. Damn. Phase. Offense — you hit ‘em in the mouth right outta the gate. Gibbs… 99 YARDS?! Are you kidding me?! That’s not just a big play, that’s a damn statement. And you know why it happened? Because the big boys up front said, ‘Not today.’ That’s five dudes movin’ the earth so our man can take it to the house."
"Goff — ice in the veins. St. Brown, LaPorta, Jamo — you boys were eatin’ out there. Bates — 55 yards? That’s a cannon for a leg, brother."
"Defense — holy hell, you slammed the door shut. Fifty-five yards rushing. That’s nothing. That’s us saying, ‘Nah, you ain’t runnin’ in our house.’ Anzalone, you were everywhere. Hutch, Paschal, Smith — you guys were livin’ in the backfield. And ZERO turnovers, fellas. ZERO. That’s smart football."
"But here’s the deal — I love this win. I’m proud as hell of this win. But we’re just gettin’ started. This is TWO. We need THREE. We need FOUR. We stack these damn things until the rest of the league’s lookin’ at us like, ‘Oh **sht**, here come the Lions.’"*
"So celebrate tonight — you’ve earned it. You’ve earned every beer, every cheer, every hug. But tomorrow? Tomorrow, it’s back to work. Because this train is comin’ down the tracks and it ain’t slowin’ for anybody."
[Campbell grins, holding up a game ball]
"Game ball — Jahmyr freakin’ Gibbs. But every one of you had a hand in that win. Now crank it the hell up — LET’S GO!"
📍 Ford Field — Postgame Press Conference
Detroit Lions Head Coach: Dan Campbell
Detroit Lions Head Coach: Dan Campbell
Opening Statement:
"Man, that’s a good win. Division game, home crowd was incredible, and our guys came out swinging from the first snap. That’s the kind of start you want — Gibbs hitting a 99-yarder right out of the gate, defense flying around, special teams hitting their kicks. That’s how you play Lions football."
Q: How big was Jahmyr Gibbs’ performance today?
"Huge. Absolutely huge. Look, that kid is a spark plug. You give him just a sliver of daylight and he can take it the distance — and we saw that, literally, on that first drive. But it wasn’t just him. The O-line did a hell of a job opening lanes, tight ends blocking, receivers blocking downfield. That’s a team touchdown right there."
Q: Jared Goff seemed in complete control. What did you think of his game?
"He was steady. Didn’t force anything, kept us on schedule, distributed the ball well. That’s two games in a row where he’s been sharp. When he’s operating like that, it’s tough to stop us because we can beat you in so many ways."
Q: Defense held Chicago to just 55 rushing yards. What worked so well?
"It was all about gap integrity and tackling. We knew they’d try to establish the run with their young QB, and we made a decision — we weren’t going to let that happen. Our linebackers were downhill, D-line controlled the line of scrimmage, and guys finished plays. You hold any NFL team to 55 on the ground, you’re gonna have a good day."
Q: How important is starting the season 2-0?
"It’s big, but it’s just two games. I told the guys — enjoy it tonight, flush it tomorrow. The league doesn’t care what you did last week, and we’ve got another fight coming in Week 3. We’ve got to stack wins, not get comfortable."
Q: Any message to the fans after this win?
"Yeah — keep bringing that energy. Ford Field was electric today. You can feel it on the field, and it gives our guys juice. This is what Detroit football’s supposed to feel like, and we’re feeding off it."
Closing:
"Proud of our guys, proud of the way we played complementary football. Now it’s time to get back to work."
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