NFL Week 13 Thanksgiving Day Game Preview: Detroit Lions versus Chicago Bears

On Thursday, the NFL will feature a Thanksgiving tripleheader for the ninth consecutive year. Traditional competitors Detroit and Dallas will host games during the day followed by a primetime nightcap on NBC between the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers.  All three games are division battles.

NFC North rivals Chicago and Detroit will do battle with each squad having a long history of playing on the holiday, as the Lions will play their 75th Thanksgiving Day game dating back to 1934, while the Bears will play in their 33rd game on Thanksgiving Day.  Detroit will host the Bears on the holiday for the first time since 1999.

The Bears have won two games in a row to move within a game of .500, while the Lions enter Week 13 just one game behind Green Bay for the division lead.

Chicago aims for a third consecutive victory following a 21-13 win against Tampa Bay.

“We’ll take the win, but we have a lot to work on,” said Bears head coach Marc Trestman. “We are excited to move forward to Thursday and a Thanksgiving game at Detroit.”

The Bears overcame a 10-0 third-quarter deficit en route to the win.  Chicago running back Matt Forte rushed for 89 yards and two touchdowns, and had five catches for 23 yards last week. Forté, who reached 7,000 rushing yards (7,488) and 3,500 receiving yards (3,517) in his 102nd game, is the third-fastest in NFL history to reach the milestone, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famers Marshall Faulk (97 games) and Marcus Allen (99).

Forté has 822 rushing yards and 72 catches this year, his seventh consecutive season with at least 800 rushing yards and 40 receptions. Forté also joined LaDainian Tomlinson as the only players in NFL history to start a career with seven seasons in a row with 800-plus rushing yards and 40-plus catches.

Detroit enters Week 13 following a 34-9 loss at New England.

Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford passed for 264 yards in the game, including completing four passes for 97 yards to wide receiver Golden Tate, who reached 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career. Tate, who has 1,047 receiving yards this season, is the first Lions wide receiver other than Calvin Johnson to amass 1,000 receiving yards in a season since Roy Williams (1,310) and Mike Furrey (1,086) accomplished the feat in 2006.

“I think it is good we have a short week,” said Stafford. “We have a chance to go out and play again on Thursday against a familiar opponent and on a national stage.”

Stafford has passed for 771 yards and five touchdowns in his past two games on Thanksgiving. Johnson aims for his sixth game in row on Thanksgiving with a touchdown catch.  Johnson is currently tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Dallas Cowboy Michael Irvin (six) for the second-most all-time career touchdown receptions on Thanksgiving.

With a touchdown catch this Thursday, Johnson would tie Cloyce Box (seven) for the most receiving touchdowns on Thanksgiving in NFL history.  He has also recorded at least 100 receiving yards in each of his past two games played on the holiday.


WEEK 13 INJURY REPORT – CHICAGO at DETROIT 

Chicago Bears

DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

Monday
LB Lance Briggs (groin), C Brian De La Puente (ankle), CB Kyle Fuller (knee), DT Jay Ratliff (knee), DE Trevor Scott (knee), LB Darryl Sharpton (hamstring), WR Chris Williams (hamstring)

Tuesday
LB Lance Briggs (groin), C Brian De La Puente (ankle), CB Kyle Fuller (knee), DT Jay Ratliff (knee), DE Trevor Scott (knee), LB Darryl Sharpton (hamstring), WR Chris Williams (hamstring)

 
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Monday
WR Brandon Marshall (ankle), S Brock Vereen (shoulder)

Tuesday
WR Brandon Marshall (ankle), S Brock Vereen (shoulder)

 
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Monday
T Eben Britton (illness), T Jordan Mills (ribs)

Tuesday
T Eben Britton (illness), T Jordan Mills (ribs)


Detroit Lions 

DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

Monday
DT Nick Fairley (knee), S James Ihedigbo (knee), WR Calvin Johnson (ankle), LB Ashlee Palmer (concussion), T Riley Reiff (knee), G Larry Warford (knee)

Tuesday
DT Nick Fairley (knee), T Riley Reiff (knee), G Larry Warford (knee)


LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Monday
DE Ezekiel Ansah (elbow), RB Reggie Bush (ankle), DE George Johnson (foot), CB Rashean Mathis (ankle), S Glover Quin (back)

Tuesday
DE Ezekiel Ansah (elbow), RB Reggie Bush (ankle), S James Ihedigbo (knee), WR Calvin Johnson (ankle), DE George Johnson (foot), CB Rashean Mathis (ankle), LB Ashlee Palmer (concussion), S Glover Quin (back)


By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com