Tale of the Tape: Who Holds Edge in Lions-Bears Matchup?

The Detroit Lions are looking to bounce back after a disappointing loss to the Green Bay Packers to open the season.

Standing in their way is a familiar face in Ben Johnson, who leads the Chicago Bears into Ford Field for the first time in his tenure as their head coach. With both teams looking for their first win, Sunday's game could wind up being a big one late in the year in what is expected to be a very competitive NFC North.

The Lions are hoping to revive their offense that struggled for most of Week 1, while the Bears are looking to bounce back after suffering a close loss to the Vikings.

Here's a breakdown of who holds the upper hand in matchups across the board in Sunday's game.

Lions' offense vs. Bears' defense

Injuries will likely play a part in the way that this matchup ultimately goes. Detroit's starting left tackle Taylor Decker did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday with a shoulder ailment, which could be concerning given that he had an offseason shoulder procedure done.

Meanwhile, the Bears welcomed Jaylon Johnson back but fellow cornerback Kyler Gordon remained sidelined for both Wednesday and Thursday's practices. Both players missed the season opener, and getting even one of them back would be a big bonus for the Bears' defense.

Detroit has the weapons to exploit the Bears' defense, as Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams have the ability to stretch the field and generate big plays. However, there was a vertical element of the passing game that was lacking in the season opener.

Still, the most concerning element of Detroit's offense in Week 1 was the lack of a run game. Detroit averaged just 2.1 yards per carry, and without that multi-dimensional element, the offense could struggle.

If the Lions are able to get back in a groove offensively, they could coast offensively. The edge lies with Detroit because of their playmakers, but the margin for error is slim after last week's struggles.

Edge: Lions

Bears' offense vs. Lions' defense

The Bears, at times in Week 1, looked much improved from a year ago. Caleb Williams had some impressive moments, but ultimately struggled in key moments that resulted in victory slipping through their fingers.

Williams has playmakers around him, including a pair of solid wideouts in D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze. Moore has given Detroit some fits throughout his career, averaging 99.4 yards in seven career games against the team.

The Lions secondary has something to prove after an up-and-down showing against Green Bay. Their identity hasn't changed much, with a focus centered around playing tough man-to-man coverage. The Packers challenged second-year corner Terrion Arnold, and he surrendered four catches and a touchdown on six targets.

The Bears struggled to get going on the ground as well, with Williams leading the team in rushing with 58 yards. Detroit's run defense did a decent job against the Packers, and containing a player they drafted in 2020 in D'Andre Swift will go a long way toward winning for the first time this season.

Ultimately, both units have too much to prove in Week 2 to definitively put the advantage on one side or another.

Edge: Even

Quarterbacks

Jared Goff and Caleb Williams are two quarterbacks that are cut from very different cloths. Goff is a true pocket passer who thrives in comfort and can struggle when forced to move his feet. Williams has a Houdini-like nature with an exceptional ability to improvise but struggles at times within structure.

As a result, the team whose defense forces the opposing passer to be uncomfortable has the best chance of winning. Last week, Goff struggled when being moved off platform as the Packers' pressure forced him into tough throws.

Meanwhile, the Vikings were able to keep Williams in the pocket and takeaway his downfield options when he was able to move. The second-year passer clearly has immense talent, but inconsistency has plagued him throughout the early part of his career.

Goff is the more established of the two options, and he has been able to complete his attempts at a high clip. If this game comes down to the wire, his ability to be surgical in the clutch could be the difference in deciding the winner.

Edge: Lions

Special teams

Both teams feel good about their kickers and punters, with Jake Bates and Cairo Santos both being reliable kickers. Jack Fox and Tory Taylor are two of the best punters, and the specialits are largely a toss up when it comes to who holds the upper hand.

Devin Duvernay and Luther Burden are two solid return options for the Bears, while the Lions feel good about Kalif Raymond's abilities to impact the game as a punt returner. Detroit leaned on Jacob Saylors and Grant Stuard to return kicks, and didn't have the best day in this element of the game.

The Lions have traditionally been very disciplined on special teams, but the penalties last week are somewhat alarming given how uncharacteristic they are for this unit. The Bears hold a slight edge in this area at this point.

Edge: Bears

Coaching

Sunday will be the first meeting between master and apprentice, as Dan Campbell will square off against someone he's worked closely with for many years in Ben Johnson. As a result, both teams will have similar styles while having different identities.

The Lions' offense struggled in the first game of the post-Johnson era, as new coordinator John Morton struggled to dial up the same magic in his debut. However, Sunday will present him with an opportunity to right the ship.

Johnson will call the plays for the Bears' offense, and as a result he will be matching wits with Lions' defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard. The Lions' defense has the same identity it had under Aaron Glenn, with an emphasis on man coverage. As a result, Johnson will likely dial up a plethora of plays designed to pick apart this style of defense.

Time will tell how this matchup shakes out, but on paper the advantage is with Campbell due to his established nature of aggression and grit. The Lions' identity could be the deciding factor, as a close game could come down to Detroit going for it on a fourth down or making a clutch play late.

Edge: Lions