Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears: What Are Experts Saying About Detroit?

The Detroit Lions travel to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Bears with a playoff trip on the line. Detroit is the only team with any ramifications resting on the outcome, but there is plenty of buzz on both sides.

Fortunately for the Lions, most of the opinions centered on them focus on the field. The same can't be said for Chicago, and we'll explore how that could relate to Detroit's chances of winning.

That's ultimately all that matters on Sunday. If the Lions get a win, they clinch at least a wild-card berth. 

So let's take a trip around the Internet and see what the experts are saying about this matchup.

Focus on Focusing

Stephan Savoia/Associated Press

There's no way around it. The Lions have had issues finishing out drives, games and seasons in the past, and there have been plenty of field goals this year that resulted from a lack of execution.

Head coach Jim Caldwell understands this. He's seen it before and knows that his team needs to keep its hands on the wheel and eyes on the road, as he explained at a recent press conference:

"

It's like texting and driving. That's a real-world example. You can't have your focus and attention on two things at one time.

We know all of the problems and issues that we've had in terms of on the road with that kind of issue. It's no different. Obviously, I'm not talking about the same dire consequences. But I'm talking about the example of just distorted vision.

"

It's called small-level focus, or at least that's what I call it. When the Lions were busy dropping the ball—literally and figuratively—last season, an inability to concentrate became the team's bugaboo.

Until recently, the players have done a great job emulating their coaches' mantra. Then Jason Jones disclosed that he was chewing on the thought of playing in January, and Caldwell immediately shot that down and in humorous fashion.

Chicago has the talent to make this weekend a problem, and you've likely sailed past your 30th birthday if you remember Detroit's last win at Lambeau. Now isn't the time to lose sight of the goal.

Turn the Beat Around

Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

The Lions have counted on numerous players throughout the season to claw their way to 10 wins. Mike O'Hara and Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com were discussing whom they thought would be the key players going forward, and O'Hara said it'll take all 53 to get the job done.

Twentyman didn't disagree. He did, however, narrow down his list of crucial contributors, espousing a theory that shouldn't be too foreign to even the most feeble football mind:

"

It’s all about that defense and No. 9 for me.

Consider this, Mike. The Lions are plus eight in turnover differential, which ranks them sixth in the NFL. They’ve turned the ball over 16 times while forcing 24 on defense.

At this point last year, the Lions had 31 turnovers. They’ve essentially cut their turnovers in half. That, to me, is a big reason they’re 10-4 -- along with that great defense.

"

This builds on the focus that Jim Caldwell is so concerned about. It's why Detroit has gone from negative-12 to plus-eight in turnover differential, which is the difference between 29th and sixth in the league.

People couldn't understand how I could give Matthew Stafford a "B" for his performance against the Vikings. What they failed to realize is that he completed 61 percent of this throws and, more importantly, avoided the turnovers the come from forcing the action.

Detroit is undoubtedly better than Chicago, but turnovers are the great equalizer. If they can avoid those, the Lions' odds of returning to the playoffs will make a huge jump.

Cold Conundrum

Michael Perez/Associated Press

Some believe that football is supposed to be played in the elements. Others think it distracts from the game and muddies the result by washing away one team's advantages that were built by management and coaching.

The reality is that it doesn't matter. Some games will be played outside, but the majority of Detroit's take place in a dome, which, as Kyle Meinke of Mlife.com illustrates, is a good thing: 

"

They are just 17-30-1 all-time in Chicago, and had lost 10 of 12 there before gutting out a 21-19 win last season. The bad news: Detroit hasn't won back-to-back games there since 1972-73.

Part of the problem is the cold. The Lions have lost 16 straight games in sub-40 temperatures. Five of those games were in Chicago. And the early forecast for Sunday: 37 degrees.

"

There hasn't been a single game this year involving crazy weather for Detroit, so it's difficult to project how this particular team would fare.

However, a ball-control offense removes the variables inherent in a vertical passing game. While the Lions aren't often effective on the ground (30th with 83.8 yards per game), they do have the ability to run quick screens and flairs well, which are an extension of the running game.

That's not to say they prefer the cold. But with an offense capable of moving the chains and a defense that would likely become more dangerous by virtue of their league-leading rush defense (63.8 yards per game), the Lions wouldn't be an easy out.

Chasing Clausen

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

The weather might be a factor this week, and we don't have a past reference for this current team.

But we do have one for how these two particular squads matchup. Chris Morgan of CBS Detroit gave his take here:

"

When these two teams last played, the Bears basically abandoned the running game and relied on short passes. It worked early, but the Lions held them in check, and now the Chicago Bears no longer have receiver Brandon Marshall, who is out with an injury. Detroit’s defense has been great all season, while Chicago’s offense has questions. Getting after Jay Cutler has been a successful plan for the Lions in the past, and they will likely try that again, and they will be ready for the short passes.

"

Of particular interest will be Chicago's approach to the run game. Running back Matt Forte saw a total of five carries last time, and the team as a whole only called seven designed runs.

But Morgan does hit the mark. The Lions blitzed Cutler 11 times in their last encounter, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Now that Jimmy Clausen has been named the starter, per Adam Schefter of ESPN, you can bet that the number will go up. I highly doubt defensive coordinator Teryl Austin will let slip a chance to rattle Clausen, who hasn't thrown more than five passes in a game since 2010.

Bleacher Feature

Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

If you've been following along all season, you know that we always end this writer roundup by checking out what Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report discovered during his weekly poll of the site's experts. Not only does he get everyone's prediction, he features one columnist's thoughts about the game.

This week, NFC North lead writer Zach Kruse was the choice for this divisional matchup:

"

The Bears are as dysfunctional a football team as the NFL can offer right now. They've packed it in for the season. Meanwhile, the Lions are one win from the postseason. Another blowout at Soldier Field wouldn't be at all surprising.

"

It's hard to argue with Mr. Kruse. Before the benching, an anonymous source told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com that the franchise had "buyer's remorse" regarding Jay Cutler. Bears offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer admitted to being a source who criticized Cutler in the report, according to the Chicago Tribune's Brad Briggs.

There are also the mounting losses and a report by Dan Bernstein of WSCR that the head coach and maybe the general manager will be dismissed after the season.

But it could also mean that the Bears have nothing to lose. 

That teaser will have to do for now. Check back Friday morning for a complete preview.