Dissecting Most Crucial Matchups in Detroit Lions' Week 13 Contest with Bears

The Detroit Lions resume their holiday tradition against the Chicago Bears with hopes of dashing a more recent custom—blowing promising starts.

Detroit still holds the cards necessary for a winning playoff hand, but it has been getting beat in the smaller skirmishes that ultimately decide the battle. When one offensive lineman doesn't make his block or one defender doesn't cover his assignment, the whole system fails.

With that in mind, let's turn to the following matchups that will be pivotal for the Lions to get their season back on track.

DT Ndamukong Suh vs. C Roberto Garza

The big names line up on the outside for the Bears. Wide receivers Brandon Marshall (6'4") and Alshon Jeffery (6'3") are a pair of physically imposing fantasy-football commodities that will make life difficult for Detroit's secondary.

Player	Receptions	Yards	Average	Touchdowns
Alshon Jeffery	58	783	13.5	5
Brandon Marshall	52	618	11.0	8

There aren't many defensive backs equipped to handle one of these guys, much less two. It's imperative that the pass rush gets to Jay Cutler early and often so he doesn't have time to hook up with his big boys down the field.

This isn't a new theory. It worked for the Miami Dolphins—another physical defense like Detroit—when they beat Chicago by harassing Cutler into a 74.4 passer rating and limiting him to less than 200 yards.

Without any positive indication that Nick Fairley will be available, the interior rush will have to come from Suh. Luckily, he seems to relish taking on the Bears and has five sacks in the past four games between the two divisional rivals.

"

Bill Blichick on Ndamukong Suh on NFL Network: "He changes everything. You can't let him penetrate or he'll foul the whole play up,"

— Mike O'Hara (@MikeOHaraNFL) November 23, 2014"

More often than not, he'll be a guard's primary responsibility, but Garza will be forced to help. That's not good news for the 14-year veteran who has already given up seven hurries and ranks as the 33rd "best" pass-protecting center, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). 

LB DeAndre Levy vs. RB Matt Forte and TE Martellus Bennett

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

Bears head coach Marc Trestman surely saw how the Patriots were able to slice up Detroit's vaunted defense through quick, crisp passing. He won't ignore his big targets on the outside, but there was plenty of hay to be made in the middle of the field and the flats. Only 14 of Tom Brady's 53 attempts went 10 yards or more, and he ended the game with 349 yards.

And Brady was afforded the luxury of time in the pocket. The Pats didn't rein things in, it was to their game plan.

Detroit's dirty secret is slowly getting exposed—the linebackers aren't great in coverage. Part of it is defensive coordinator Teryl Austin's don't-give-up-the-big-play mentality, but a larger chunk is the backers often looking confused as to their assignment or being late recognizing where the play is going.

Levy has traditionally been the coverage stalwart of the group. That trend has gone the way of Pogs and wearing a book bag with one strap. 

"

The freakish decline of DeAndre Levy's coverage skills is really disturbing.

— Jeff Risdon (@JeffRisdon) November 23, 2014"

Chicago—especially if not given the chance to attack vertically (over a quarter of Cutler's passes travel more than 10 yards in the air)—will unleash Forte and Bennett to torture the Lions linebackers. 

Bennett is Chicago's second-leading receiver with 57 catches for 628 yards and five scores. He's certainly capable of following the trail blazed through Detroit's defense by tight ends Greg Olsen, Charles Clay, Rob Gronkowski and Tim Wright.

And Forte's prowess is well documented among fantasy football owners. The dual-threat running back fell just shy of 2,000 total yards last year and needs to average 120 per game to reach that mark this season.

LG Rob Sims and C Dominic Raiola vs. NT Stephen Paea

Detroit's offensive tackles are cause for concern because they will face Lions tormentor Jared Allen and former Lion Willie Young (who leads the team in sacks with eight), but the real issue is in the middle.

"

Another quality pass rush by Stephen Paea. Not just strength on that one, though. Good hands to shed the block.

— Rich Campbell (@Rich_Campbell) November 23, 2014"

After three mostly nondescript years in Chicago, Paea is making a name for himself.

He's already doubled the number of sacks he had in his career with six and is coming off of his best effort of the season. Paea dominated the interior of Tampa Bay's offensive line to the tune of three tackles, three sacks, three quarterback hits and five hurries.

The veterans Sims and Raiola have been rough in pass protection. Sims has given up 20 quarterback hurries, which is sixth-worst among guards, and Raiola grades out as the 35th-best center overall.

Paea is susceptible to the run, but Chicago's defense has improved significantly in this area, coming in as the 12th-best unit against the rush. Not that the Lions and their 80.8 rushing yards per game could do anything about it anyhow.

There's much more than turkey for the taking this Thanksgiving for the Lions. If Detroit can win these matchups, it'll go a long way toward securing a much-needed victory in the race for the playoffs.

Brandon Alisoglu is a Detroit Lions Featured Columnist who has written about the Lions on multiple sites. He also co-hosts a Lions-centric podcast, Lions Central Radio. Yell at him on Twitter about how wrong he is @BrandonAlisoglu.

All advanced stats, grades and positional rankings are courtesy of Pro Football Focus and require a subscription.