The Chicago Bears felt destined to blow another lead to the Detroit Lions in the third quarter of Sunday’s divisional matchup. After leading 10-0 in the first quarter, the NFC North foes were deadlocked at 13-13 in the final minutes of the third quarter.
The Bears needed a spark on offense. And all it took was the dynamic duo of Justin Fields and DJ Moore (with a little help from the Lions).
Facing a fourth-and-13 from Detroit’s 38-yard line, Chicago’s offense lined up as if they were going to run a play. But it felt like they were trying to get the Lions to jump offsides to make a Cairo Santos field goal attempt easier.
Instead, Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson jumped offsides — and the rest is history.
Fields dropped back and fired a deep shot to Moore, who caught it in stride for the game-changing touchdown.
“When he jumped, I was like, ‘Shoot, I’m out,’ and it was like, ‘meep meep,'” Moore told reporters after the game.
.@justnfields with a DIME to @idjmoore 🤩
📺: #DETvsCHI on FOX pic.twitter.com/NoIKvw5p2Y
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 10, 2023
It’s crazy that we almost didn’t get to see what could develop into a turning point for the Bears this season, as the play wasn’t supposed to happen.
Tight end Cole Kmet admitted he was “shocked” that they actually ran a play, when there was no intent to snap the ball. But the Bears were ready when the Lions gave them a free shot.
“Fourth-and-13, hell of a cadence,” Kmet said. “I thought no way in hell are they jumping… If they do jump, we all know what we’re getting to. But it was fourth-and-13, and we’re at the 938-yard line). That’s prime take-a-delay (time).”
While the play itself might have been a surprise, Fields said it wasn’t a challenge given it’s something they’ve prepared for every week.
“We practice it multiple times a week,” Fields said. “We’re used to it. Might have happened like three times this week during practice and walk-throughs. Like I said, we practice it. It happens every week, and the guys are ready for it, and we executed it. It ended up being a big play.”
