Recap: Lions choke in fourth, fall 27-23 to Bears in season opener

Game summary

The Detroit Lions carried a three-score lead into the fourth quarter of their season-opening game against the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

You know what happens next, right?

The Bears scored 21 unanswered on three touchdown passes from Mitch Trubisky as Chicago escaped with a 27-23 win at Ford Field.

Adrian Peterson rushed for 93 yards on 14 attempts in his Lions debut. D'Andre Swift dropped a pass in the end zone with 6 seconds left.

Matthew Stafford was great for Detroit through three quarters but couldn't keep pace once Chicago's pass rush awoke in the fourth, finishing 24-for-42 with 297 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

Final leaders

Passing

DET — Matthew Stafford: 24/42, 297 yds., TD, INT

CHI — Mitch Trubisky: 20/36, 242 yds., 3 TD

Receiving

DET — Danny Amendola: 5 recs., 81 yds.

CHI — Anthony Miller: 4 recs., 76 yds., TD

Rushing

DET — Adrian Peterson: 14 atts., 93 yds.

CHI — David Montgomery: 13 atts., 64 yds.

Lions throw last chance in trash, lose to Bears in season-opener

Jamal Agnew lets the kickoff bounce into the end zone. Detroit will start from its 25.

Matthew Stafford is wrapped up for a gain of only 1 on first down. He hits Marvin Jones for a gain of 11 on second down.

Stafford scrambles for a 7-yard gain on the next play to the Detroit 44.

Timeout #2 Detroit (1:01 4th)

Stafford's throw on second down is incomplete. Danny Amendola catches a 5-yard pass on second down to move the chains into Chicago territory. 

D'Andre Swift catches a screen pass and is tackled in-bounds after a gain of only 3. Sheesh.

Timeout #3 Detroit (0:34 4th)

The Lions have no timeouts remaining. Stafford throws deep to Quintez Cephus, an incompletion.

Amendola catches a deep pass over the middle. Lions run to the line, spike it. It's second-and-10 at the Chicago 16 after the 32-yard completion to Amendola. 11 seconds on the clock.

Swift drops a sure touchdown in the end zone. Brutal. It's third-and-10. Stafford's try to the end zone is incomplete. Lions lose. Welcome back, everybody.

FINAL: Bears 27, Lions 23

Chicago completes comeback, takes lead in final 2 minutes

Chicago takes over at Detroit's 37 after the interception.

David Montgomery rushes for 5 yards on first down.

Two-minute warning

Jahlani Tavai is flagged for a neutral-zone infraction before the next play. That 5-yard penalty will give the Bears a first down at the 27.

Trubisky goes up to Anthony Miller for a 27-yard touchdown.

Bears 27, Lions 23 (1:54 4th) 

Fuller picks off Stafford, giving Bears the chance to close out game

The Lions will look to close out the Bears, starting at the 25. They lead by 3 with just under three minutes to go.

Adrian Peterson rushes for a gain of 3 on first down.

Timeout #1 Chicago (2:50 4th)

Peterson is stopped for a gain of 2 on second down. The writing is all over the wall, folks.

Timeout #2 Chicago (2:45 4th)

Matthew Stafford's third-down pass to Marvin Jones is deflected into the air and picked off by Kyle Fuller, returned to the Detroit 37. What a miserable turn of events in the Motor City.

Lions 23, Bears 20 (2:35 4th)

Bears cut Lions lead to 23-20 late in fourth

The Bears take over at the Chicago 45.

Mitch Trubisky hits Jimmy Graham on first down for a gain of 7, then moves the chains with an 18-yard completion to Anthony Miller on second down.

Trubisky goes back to Miller for a gain of 13, then hits Graham again for what appears to be a 17-yard touchdown pass. The touchdown call is eventually overturned, as Graham is marked down just short of the end zone. It's first-and-goal at the 1.

Trubisky rolls out, hits Javon Wims for a touchdown. Yikes.

Lions 23, Bears 20 (2:58 4th)

Prater strikes upright as Lions lead stays at 10

Matthew Stafford dumps off the throw to Adrian Peterson on first down, a gain of 4. Peterson then rushes for a gain of 14 yards on second down, giving the Lions a first down at the Chicago 49. Peterson is averaging 7.2 yards per carry here in the fourth.

Stafford throws incomplete to Quintez Cephus on first down. Peterson gets it again on second down — another 14-yard gain. He's over 100 all-purpose yards for today.

Peterson is stopped after a gain of 2 on first down from the Chicago 35. Stafford is sacked for a loss of 9 on second down, bringing up third-and-17.

Stafford's third-down pass is caught by D'Andre Swift, but only for a gain of 5.

Matt Prater's 55-yard field goal drills the right upright. 

Lions 23, Bears 13 (4:02 4th)

Flowers gets huge third-down sack to stop Bears drive

The Bears take over at the 25.

Mitch Trubisky escapes pressure and rushes for 20 yards, and thanks to a face-mask penalty on the Lions, the Bears have it first-and-10 at the Detroit 40. Not great!

David Montgomery rushes for 2 yards on first down.

Injury update: Lions CB Justin Coleman (hamstring) has been ruled OUT for the remainder of this game.

Chicago is slapped with a delay-of-game penalty. It's second-and-13 at the Chicago 43. 

Trubisky throws short to Allen Robinson down the sideline on second down, and Darryl Roberts is able to break up the pass. Huge third down coming up.

Trubisky is chased backwards, Trey Flowers strips him on the sack, and Chicago recovers — at its own 29-yard-line. That's a loss of 27 yards.

Pat O'Donnell's punt is downed at the 32.

Lions 23, Bears 13 (8:26 4th)

Lions fail to answer after Bears cut into lead

Jamal Agnew returns the kickoff to the Detroit 32. Solid season debut for the former All-Pro returner.

Matthew Stafford throws complete to T.J. Hockenson for a gain of 4 on first down. Kerryon Johnson is wrapped up after a gain of 2 on second down. Both teams commit a holding penalty on third down, which gives the Lions new life after an incompletion.

Stafford throws complete to Quintez Cephus for a gain of 9 on third down, giving Detroit a new set of downs at the Detroit 43.

The Bears get through the line with ease on first down, wrapping up Johnson for a loss of 2. Stafford throws incomplete to Cephus on second down, bringing up third-and-12. D'Andre Swift drops a screen pass, but he probably would have been dropped for a loss, anyway. Lions will punt.

The Lions take a delay-of-game penalty to give Jack Fox more room to work. Fox's punt goes out of bounds at the Chicago 25.

Lions 23, Bears 13 (10:44 4th)

Bears cut into Lions lead to start fourth quarter

Chicago takes over at the 41 after a great return by Cordarrelle Patterson. 

Mitch Trubisky throws incomplete to David Montgomery on first down. Montgomery is stopped for no gain on second down. Trubisky hits Anthony Miller for an 18-yard gain on third down to the Detroit 41.

Allen Robinson makes a terrific catch on the next play to pick up 22 more yards for Chicago. It's first-and-10 at the Detroit 19.

Trubisky rushes for 6 yards on first down.

Injury alert: Lions CB Desmond Trufant was hurt on the play and is being attended to by the training staff.

Tony McRae is in at cornerback for Trufant. Trubisky's throw to the end zone on second down is overthrown. Tarik Cohen catches a pass out of the backfield and is stopped a yard short of the first-down marker. It's fourth-and-1 as the third quarter comes to a close.

END 3RD: Lions 23, Bears 6

Patterson barely catches the edge on fourth-and-1, picking up the first down with a gain of 3. Massive play for the Bears.

Trubisky throws complete to Robinson at the 2-yard-line for a gain of 5. Tracy Walker gets into the backfield and nearly picks off a screen pass to Montgomery on second down.

Timeout #1 Detroit (13:43 4th)

Jimmy Graham hauls in a throw from Trubisky for the Bears' first touchdown of the game.

Lions 23, Bears 13 (13:39 4th)

The Adrian Peterson show helps Lions to 23-6 lead

Adrian Peterson gets the carry on first down, stays patient, hits a hole on the left side, and breaks free for a gain of 21 to the Detroit 31.

Peterson then catches a pass out of the backfield and is stopped after a gain of 8, and on second down, shoots up the middle for a gain of 10 yards to midfield. What a drive for the new Lions back.

Peterson is stopped for a gain of 1 on first down. The Bears blow up a screen on second down, forcing an incompletion — but there's a holding penalty on Akiem Hicks, which gives Detroit 5 free yards and an automatic first down at the Chicago 44.

Jamal Agnew is interfered with on a first-down target from Matthew Stafford, giving the Lions another free first down, this time at the Bears 34.

D'Andre Swift rips off a 6-yard run on first down. Stafford keeps on second down and picks up a yard on the ground. Stafford can't find a receiver under pressure, bringing out Matt Prater after the incompletion.

Prater puts through a 44-yard field goal.

Lions 23, Bears 6 (3:19 3rd)

Chicago offense takes field down 14

The Bears take over at the 25.

David Montgomery rushes for 8 yards on first down then picks up 10 more on second down. It's first-and-10 at the Chicago 43.

Montgomery is stopped for 2 yards on his next carry. A reverse screen to Tarik Cohen is snuffed out for a gain of only 3 on second down. Desmond Trufant absolutely levels Darnell Mooney on a third-down completion that's stopped for no gain to force another Bears punt.

Jamal Agnew waives for a fair catch at the Lions 10.

Lions 20, Bears 6 (7:29 3rd)

Lions take 20-6 lead to start second half

Jamal Agnew takes the second-half kickoff to Detroit's 28.

Kerryon Johnson takes his third carry of the day for a gain of 4, then picks up 4 more yards on second down to bring up third-and-2 at the 36. Danny Amendola catches a 15-yard pass on third down to keep the chains moving, making it first-and-10 at the Chicago 49.

Johnson rushes for 5 yards on first down. Good drive for the third-year back after a lackluster first half. A play-action pass sets up a 14-yard completion to Quintez Cephus. Stafford's sixth consecutive completion makes it first-and-10 at the Chicago 30.

Stafford is in a groove. Another play-action pass winds up in the hands of Marvin Jones for a big gain, which is then supplemented by a roughing-the-passer penalty.

It's first-and-goal at the 7.

Adrian Peterson rushes for a gain of 3 on first down. A beautiful pass, a beautiful catch, and T.J. Hockenson has his first touchdown of the season. The Lions lead by two scores.

Lions 20, Bears 6 (10:37 3rd)

First-half leaders

Passing

DET — Matthew Stafford: 11/19, 166 yds.

CHI — Mitch Trubisky: 8/20, 110 yds.

Receiving

DET — T.J. Hockenson: 3 recs., 48 yds.

CHI — Allen Robinson: 3 recs., 47 yds.

Rushing

DET — Adrian Peterson: 5 atts., 23 yds.

CHI — Tarik Cohen: 6 atts., 38 yds.

Lions take 13-6 lead before half on Swift's first career touchdown

The Lions take over at the Chicago 48 with 40 seconds on the clock and all three timeouts in their pocket. 

Matthew Stafford hits D'Andre Swift for a gain of 7 on first down.

Timeout #1 Detroit (0:35 2nd)

Stafford hits T.J. Hockenson on second down for a gain of 16 to the Chicago 25. 

Timeout #2 Detroit (0:28 2nd)

Hockenson gets open again on the next play and catches a pass near the end zone, getting pushed out of bounds at the 1 for a 24-yard gain. 

D'Andre Swift gets into the end zone for the first touchdown of his NFL career.

Lions 13, Bears 6 (0:19 2nd)

Cordarrelle Patterson returns the kickoff to the 28.

Tarik Cohen rushes for 7 yards to end the half.

END 2ND: Lions 13, Bears 6

Lions defense matches three-and-out before half

Mitch Trubisky hits Tarik Cohen on a 3-yard swing pass on first down. His second-down pass to Anthony Miller is overthrown down the sideline. It's third-and-7.  Trubisky's throw on third down misses the mark, as well. The Bears will punt with 0:51 on the clock.

Jamal Agnew makes a few men miss and goes down just short of midfield on the return, but a 5-yard penalty on the Bears will give Detroit the ball at Detroit's 47.

Lions 6, Bears 6 (0:40 2nd)

Lions get too conservative near end of half, punt after three-and-out

The Lions take over at the 25 with 2:02 to go in the half.

Marvin Jones catches a 7-yard pass on first down.

Two-minute warning

D'Andre Swift rushes for 1 yard on second down. Matthew Stafford escapes pressure but is tackled just shy of the first-down marker.

Timeout #2 Chicago (1:14 2nd)

Jack Fox's punt is fair caught by Tarik Cohen at the 11. Impressive debut for the Lions rookie punter.

Lions 6, Bears 6 (1:05 2nd)

Bears tie game at 6 near end of second quarter

Cordarrelle Patterson returns the kickoff to Chicago's 23.

Mitch Trubisky hits Allen Robinson on first down for a gain of 22 to the Chicago 45.

David Montgomery rushes for a gain of 8 on the next first-down play. He gets to the Lions 42 with a gain of 5 on second down.

Darnell Mooney catches a 19-yard pass on first down, which is supplemented by a face-mask penalty on Desmond Trufant. The Bears will have it first-and-10 at the 11.

Tarik Cohen is stopped for a gain of 2 on first down. Trubisky's throw to Jimmy Graham on second down falls incomplete, and he misfires to Cole Kmet on third down.

Injury alert: Lions CB Justin Coleman was hurt on the play and is aided by the training staff while limping off the field.

Cairo Santos hits the chip-shot field goal. We're all tied up once again.

Lions 6, Bears 6 (2:02 2nd)

Lions settle for field goal after lengthy drive

Matthew Stafford goes play-action on first down and gets the ball to Marvin Hall for a 26-yard gain, giving the Lions a first down at the 39.

T.J. Hockenson catches a pass for 8 yards on the next play. He's called for holding on a second-and-2 run by D'Andre Swift, the first of his career.

Stafford's throw to Danny Amendola on second-and-12 falls incomplete. Rookie guard Jonah Jackson backs up the Lions even more with a false start penalty.

Amendola hangs on to a tough catch over the middle, a gain of 18, that'll give the Lions a first down at midfield. 

The Lions take a shot on first down, but Stafford's throw down the sideline to Hall is short. Second-and-10 coming up. Stafford misfires to Marvin Jones on second down, but hits his veteran receiver over the middle on third down. Jones bullies a would-be tackler and runs forward to the Chicago 29 for a gain of 21 yards. 

Stafford escapes pressure on first-and-10, tucks it, and sprints ahead to the Chicago 16 for a 13-yard gain.

Adrian Peterson rushes up the middle for a gain of 2 on first down, and is wrapped up for no gain on second down. Stafford throws it up to Jamal Agnew (yes, that Jamal Agnew) on third down, but the pass misses the mark.

Matt Prater's 32-yard field goal is through. The Lions regain their 3-point lead.

Lions 6, Bears 3 (5:33 2nd)

Jamie Collins Sr. ejected in Lions debut

The Bears take over at their own 12-yard-line.

Tarik Cohen rushes for 8 yards on first down, and David Montgomery moves the chains with another 8-yard run on second down.

Christian Jones wraps up David Montogmery for a gain of 1.

Jamie Collins Sr. puts his head into an official's chest after the play, for some reason. He has been ejected.

It's first-and-10 at the Chicago 44. 

Mitch Trubisky fires to Cordarrelle Patterson for a gain of 12 to the Lions 44.

Patterson is dropped for a loss of 2 on first down. Trubisky misfires deep to Robinson on second and third down, with Justin Coleman dropping the easiest interception of his life on third-and-12.

Jamal Agnew waves for a fair catch on the punt at Detroit's 13.

Lions 3, Bears 3 (10:44 2nd)

Lions take over at 25, punt

Adrian Peterson rushes for a few on first down, but there's a holding penalty on Tyrell Crosby. It'll be first-and-20 at the 15.

Peterson catches a pass out of the backfield and pushes ahead for a gain of 8. Danny Amendola holds on to a pass over the middle while getting popped, which is good enough for a gain of 11. It's third-and-1.

END 1ST: Lions 3, Bears 3

Peterson gets the ball on third-and-1, and is stopped for no gain. 

Jack Fox's punt is a beautiful one, downed at the Bears 12.

Lions 3, Bears 3 (14:17 2nd)

Chicago ties game at 3

David Montgomery rushes to the 29 for a gain of 4 on first down. He catches a pass out of the backfield for a 10-yard gain on second down, setting up first-and-10 at the Chicago 41.

Cordarrelle Patterson rushes for 5 yards on first down. Darnell Mooney gets open for a big gain to the Lions 35.

Allen Robinson is dropped for a loss of 1 on a first-down jet sweep. Tarik Cohen bursts through the middle on second down for a gain of 16 to the Lions 20.

Jamie Collins drops Cohen after a gain of 3 on first down. Mitch Trubisky throws to Robinson in the end zone on second down, but his pass is broken up by Justin Coleman. Trubisky throws completely out of the range of Anthony Miller on third down.

Cairo Santos hits a 35-yard field goal to tie the game.

Lions 3, Bears 3 (1:30 1st)

Lions take lead after Peterson's explosive debut

Matthew Stafford's throw to Danny Amendola on first down is broken up by a Bears defender. Stafford rolls out under pressure on second down, waits, fires to T.J. Hockenson; the pass is incomplete, but Hockenson was hit hard and high by Kyle Fuller, resulting in defensive pass interference.

The Lions have a first down at midfield.

Adrian Peterson gets in the game for Detroit, gets his first carry in a Lions uniform, and bursts through the middle for a gain of 19.

Stafford then goes play-action to Peterson, finds Quintez Cephus over the middle, and hits the rookie receiver for a gain of 20 yards. It's first-and-10 at the 11.

Peterson rushes for a gain of 2 on first down. D'Andre Swift now enters the game for Detroit. Stafford's throw to Cephus over the middle on second down is dropped. Stafford's throw to Cephus in the end zone on third down is off the mark.

The Lions really miss Kenny Golladay.

Matt Prater's 27-yard field goal gives the Lions a 3-0 lead.

Lions 3, Bears 0 (6:30 1st)

Lions get fourth-down stop in own territory

Hey, look, some pressure on the quarterback. Christian Jones gets to Mitch Trubisky on first-and-10 at the 25, forcing him to throw it away for an incompletion.

Trubsiky hits Allen Robinson for a 13-yard completion that'll give Chicago a first down at the 38.

Cordarrelle Patterson takes a pitch on first down, and gashes Detroit's defense for another gain of 13. The Bears will have another first down at the Detroit 49.

Another chunk of yards for Chicago on first down, this time with a throw to Robinson. That's a gain of 12, and it's now first-and-10 at the Detroit 37.

David Montgomery rushes for 3 yards on first down. Trubisky's throw on second-and-7 is dropped by Jimmy Graham. Trey Flowers and Reggie Ragland get through on third down, and Ragland hits the Bears quarterback as he throws to force an incompletion.

The Bears offense stays on the field on fourth-and-7. Trubsiky's throw to Ted Ginn is off the mark and swatted by Desmond Trufant.

Lions 0, Bears 0 (8:57 1st)

Lions offense take the field for first time this season

Kerryon Johnson rushes for a gain of 2 on first down, but is dropped for a loss of 1 on second down. It's third-and-9.

Matthew Stafford is forced to dish it to a check-down receiver on third down, Khalil Mack in his face, and misfires to Quintez Cephus for an incompletion.

Tony McRae nails Tarik Cohen the second he receives Jack Fox's punt, going down at the Chicago 25.

Lions 0, Bears 0 (11:58 1st)

Lions defense takes the field first

Jack Fox's kickoff to Chicago goes out of the end zone for a touchback.

The Bears take the field at the 25. 2020 third-overall pick Jeff Okudah is inactive for Detroit.

David Montgomery runs for a gain of 6 on first down. Tarik Cohen pushes ahead for 3 yards on second down. Mitch Trubisky's quarterback sneak on third-and-1 comes up short. A good stop for Detroit to start this game.

Jamal Agnew waves for a fair catch on the punt at Detroit's 21.

Lions 0, Bears 0 (13:18 1st)

PREGAME

We made it.

After an offseason unlike any other and one that seemed to last forever, football is finally back. 

The Detroit Lions will kick off the 2020 season at a fan-less Ford Field against the Chicago Bears (1 p.m., Fox/760), who have won the past four meetings between the teams.

Follow along for live updates of today's season opener from Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News.

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