Detroit Lions game balls: Week 15 vs. the Chicago Bears
By Ash Thompson
The Lions came away with a 20-10 victory over the Chicago Bears. Here are the players who earned game balls this week.
The Detroit Lions came out of the gate slowly. They came to life in the second quarter, however, and never really looked back. As with any dominant performance, there was more than one player worthy of a game ball in every aspect of the game today. Here are the players who got the nod Saturday night at Ford Field.
This week’s offensive game ball goes to Matthew Stafford. The Lions quarterback went 25 for 33 on the day for 237 yards and two touchdowns. Theo Riddick was the early favorite with 49 rushing yards in the first half, but he completely disappeared in the second half. Marvin Jones made the play of the day, as he does every week, on a 58-yard jump ball. That play set up T.J. Jones first touchdown of the season.
In the end, however, the Lions offense went as far as Matthew Stafford dragged it yet again.
The defensive game ball goes to Darius Slay. The Lions all-pro caliber cornerback, as Golden Tate was happy to point out during Slay’s sideline post-game interview, had two interceptions and added yet another pass break up to his lofty total. Slay has clearly become one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks in 2017, and if there is any justice, will find himself at the pro bowl in Orlando.
The special teams game ball goes to Sam Martin. In the fourth quarter, Martin boomed a 64 yarder, one of two punts he downed inside the 20-yard line. The team needed him to tilt the field in the opposite direction and Martin delivered. For that reason he gets the special teams game ball.
Also warranting a mention was Jamal Agnew. The Lions electric punt returner averaged eleven yards per return. He was a single step from taking one of his four returns for a very long trip to the other team’s end zone.
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The Lions are now 8-6, and one and a half games back of the Atlanta Falcons in the wildcard race with three games left to play. a combination of two Lions losses or Falcons victories will end the Lions season without a playoff berth. The Lions checked off this box, but have three more weeks to take care of business.