The Detroit Lions won a 10th straight game and ended their wait for a Thanksgiving victory by withstanding a Chicago Bears fightback to triumph 23-20.
Detroit have hosted a game on Thanksgiving every year since 1934, but this was their first win on the American holiday since 2016.
The Lions, who have matched their franchise record after winning 11 of their 12 games this season, led 16-0 at the halfway stage and 23-7 after the third quarter.
Chicago made it a three-point game with five minutes 36 seconds remaining, but poor clock management in the visitors’ last possession allowed Detroit to hold on.
Jared Goff connected with Sam LaPorta for two touchdowns and passed for 221 yards as the Lions outgained the Bears 279-53 in a one-sided first half.
Although Chicago rallied to set up a tense finale, the Bears could not find the points required in the closing stages, failing to use their final timeout as their losing run extended to six games.
The Lions’ 10-game win streak matched the team’s 90-year record from their first season in Detroit in 1934.
The Thanksgiving schedule continues with the New York Giants at the Dallas Cowboys (Thu, 21:30 GMT).
The Miami Dolphins visit the Green Bay Packers (Fri, 01:20 GMT), while the Las Vegas Raiders go to the Kansas City Chiefs (Fri, 20:00 GMT).
Ben Solak, ESPNDec 3, 2024, 11:25 AMCloseBen Solak joined ESPN in 2024 as a national NFL analyst. He previously covered the NFL at The Ringer, Bleeding Green Na
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