Lions Stay in the Playoff Hunt With a Win Over the Bears

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DETROIT — Matthew Stafford struck a balance between making plays and avoiding mistakes to keep the Detroit Lions in the playoff picture.

Stafford threw two touchdown passes and did not have a turnover, helping Detroit beat the Chicago Bears, 20-10, on Saturday.

“It’s just trying to be as calculated as you can with those chances that you’re going to take,” he said. “And, understanding the game situation.”

Detroit (8-6) has won two straight and needs to close the regular season with two more wins to keep its hopes alive.

“We’ve got to win to stay in,” said tight end Eric Ebron, who caught Stafford’s second touchdown pass. “If we win, we will hopefully make it to the playoffs. If not, then we get booted.”

Whether the Bears (4-10) win another game this season or not, they may end up giving Coach John Fox the boot. Chicago has lost six of seven, sealing a third straight season with double-digit losses under its embattled coach.

Stafford threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to T. J. Jones to put Detroit up, 13-0, with 6 minutes 10 seconds left in the first half after Fox chose to punt on fourth-and-1 from the Chicago 45.

“We were thinking about field position,” Fox said. “It’s not a no-lose situation because if we don’t make it, they’ve got the ball at our 45. Like I said, you could go for it, but you have to know that it can come back and bite you.”

Stafford was 25 of 33 for 237 yards and did not throw an interception for the first time since Week 11. His 8-yard pass to Ebron gave Detroit a 20-3 lead early in the third quarter after Darius Slay’s first of two interceptions.

The Chicago rookie Mitchell Trubisky had season highs in completions (31), attempts (46), yards passing (314) and interceptions (3), including one to safety Quandre Diggs in the end zone early in the fourth quarter.

Trubisky threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Benny Cunningham to make the score 20-10 with 2:32 left. After Fox chose not to try an onside kick, the Bears got the ball back 25 seconds later on their 6 and moved the ball to the Detroit 25 before Slay’s second interception ended their comeback hopes.