The Chicago Bears' Thanksgiving Day matchup against the Detroit Lions ended in a heartbreaking 23-20 defeat, marred by a controversial clock management decision in the final seconds. With the Bears trailing and the clock ticking down, quarterback Caleb Williams was sacked with 32 seconds remaining. Puzzlingly, the Bears opted not to use their remaining timeout.
Head coach Matt Eberflus's decision not to stop the clock drew immediate criticism and calls for his job on social media. Eberflus later explained that he intended for Williams to snap the ball with around 18 seconds left, allowing for a potential chunk play followed by a timeout to set up a game-tying field goal attempt. However, Williams delayed the snap, leaving only seven seconds on the clock. The subsequent play, a deep pass intended for Rome Odunze, fell incomplete as time expired.
Despite the outcome, Eberflus defended his strategy, stating, "I like what we did there. Once it's under 12 [seconds], you really don't have an option… I think we handled it the right way… Didn't work out the way we wanted to." This loss marks the Bears' sixth consecutive defeat, their last two coming by narrow field goal margins against NFC North rivals.
On the other side, the Lions celebrated a historic victory, improving to an 11-1 record – their best start in franchise history. Jared Goff led the Lions' offense, connecting with tight end Sam LaPorta for two touchdowns. Goff finished the game with 221 passing yards, while Amon-Ra St. Brown led the receiving corps with 73 yards.
Despite the loss, Williams showcased his talent in the second half, throwing for 256 yards and three touchdowns. Keenan Allen and DJ Moore contributed with 73 and 97 receiving yards, respectively.
