Bears Thankful For Late Interceptions In Win Over Lions

DETROIT — Quarterback Mitch Trubisky made a strong case Thursday that he's the Chicago Bears' most valuable player, and he didn't even need to take the field to do so. An injured right shoulder kept the second-year quarterback out of Chicago's Thanksgiving Day game in Detroit, and the Bears struggled against the Lions with backup Chase Daniel under center.

But Chicago (8-3) was able to pull out a holiday win over Detroit, 23-16, thanks to a 41-yard pick-six by Eddie Jackson midway through the fourth quarter. It was the first time Lions quarterback Matt Stafford had an interception returned for a touchdown in a Thanksgiving game since 2009.

The Lions (4-7) had a chance to possibly tie the game with a little more than a minute to play. But on 3rd and 9, Stafford floated a pass from Chicago's 11-yard line that was picked off in the end zone by Kyle Fuller.

Since 1991, Chicago is 2-4 against Detroit on Thanksgiving. The loss also put the Bears' overall Thanksgiving record at 3-5 during that same span, defeating the Green Bay Packers in 2015 and falling to the Dallas Cowboys in 2004.

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Offense was at a premium in this year's game, with neither team scoring in the first quarter. The Lions were first to put points on the board with a 4-yard rushing touchdown by LeGarrette Blount.

Since entering the NFL in 2009, Daniel had only attempted 78 regular season passes in three starts coming into Thursday's game. He doubled his career touchdown total, though, with a 10-yard pass to Taquan Mizzell late in the first half and a 14-yard scoring strike to Tarik Cohen early in the fourth quarter.

Despite the victory — Chicago's fifth consecutive win that keeps the team alone atop the NFC North — Thursday's game showed just how important Trubisky is to the Bear. Compare the quarterback's one-game absence this week to that of the two games missed by Bears defensive standout Khalil Mack. While Chicago had no problems beating the New York Jets, 21-10, and the Buffalo Bills, 41-9, while Mack was out, the Bears could easily had dropped Thursday's contest against the Lions without Trubisky on the field.

Chicago Bears quarterback Chase Daniel (left) celebrates with free safety Eddie Jackson (39) after Jackson returned an interception 41 yards for a touchdown in the team's Thanksgiving Day win against the Detroit Lions. (Photo by Paul Sancya | Associated Press)