SportsDirect Inc. staff
Oct 23, 2012
Bears 13, Lions 7: Jay Cutler threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Marshall and Robbie Gould kicked a pair of field goals as host Chicago extended its winning streak to four games.
Matt Forte rushed for 96 yards on 22 carries and Marshall hauled in six passes for 81 yards for the Bears (5-1), who maintained their half-game lead over Minnesota in the NFC North by defeating division-rival Detroit (2-4) for the eighth time in nine meetings.
Cutler, who completed 16 of 31 passes for 150 yards, hit Marshall with the scoring strike only 3:48 into the game. The touchdown came one play after Forte broke a 39-yard run to the Detroit 7.
Cutler was replaced by Jason Campbell midway through the second quarter after a vicious sack by Ndamukong Suh, but returned after one play. After missing Chicago's final possession of the period to have his ribs examined, Cutler played the entire second half.
Matthew Stafford threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Broyles with 30 seconds remaining in the fourth for the Lions, who avoided being shut out in Chicago for the first time since 1962 at Wrigley Field. Stafford was 28-of-46 for 261 yards with one interception.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Chicago has outscored its opponents 111-34 during its winning streak. ... Cutler has thrown 11 touchdown passes and only one interception in going 6-1 against Detroit while with the Bears. ... The Lions have yet to score a touchdown in the first quarter this season. ... Detroit was without its top two CBs as Jacob Lacey (concussion) and Bill Bentley (shoulder) both were inactive. ... Gould had a 47-yard field-goal attempt in the second quarter blocked by DE Lawrence Jackson.