It was supposed to be an NFC North showdown with real playoff implications. But both teams have sorely underperformed this year, especially the Lions, who sit at 3-7-1 on the season.
Through 12 weeks of the season, both teams have major question marks at the quarterback position, as Chicago's Mitchell Trubisky is still trying to find his footing and the Lions may have to turn to third string QB David Blough as Matthew Stafford is sidelined for a third straight week and backup Jeff Driskel is now hobbled with a leg injury. But both teams' struggles go beyond the one position.
"Right now, the Lions are in a world of hurt and it’s not just the quarterback, it’s not just Driskel and Stafford, this is across the board," Burchfield said. "Their defense has cratered after a top-10 finish last year. That was supposed to be the strength of this team, supposed to be Matt Patricia’s area of expertise. None of it has checked out."
Matt Nagy says he sees improvements with Trubisky as the season has progressed, but McKnight is skeptical.
"You’re judging against an offense that in the first four, five weeks that was godawful after so much promise and expectation coming into this 2019 season, so much more was asked of this Bears offense," he said. "So when Matt Nagy and the Bears get to the point where they’re almost beating the Giants handily, when really you should’ve destroyed the New York Giants, it’s kind of damning with faint praise, a little bit."
Both teams, though Chicago finds itself in a bit better of a position than Detroit, are for all intents and purposes out of the playoff picture. While many TVs in Michigan and Illinois will be begrudgingly tuned to Fox on Thursday afternoon, the rest of the country may be a little less intrigued to watch.
"It’s a Thanksgiving commiseration for Lions and Bears fans alike," McKnight said.