Lions 24, Bears 13
The Detroit Lions started 5-0 for the first time in 55 years, getting big-play touchdowns from Calvin Johnson and Jahvid Best in a 24-13 victory over the visiting Chicago Bears on Monday night.
Matthew Stafford threw a pair of touchdowns passes, including a 73-yarder to Johnson, and Best ripped off an 88-yard scoring run as Detroit remained one of two undefeated teams in the NFL and snapped a six-game losing streak against the Bears (2-3).
Johnson (five catches, 130 yards) set an NFL record by becoming the first player to haul in nine scoring passes in the first five games of the season as Detroit opened 5-0 for the first time since 1956 and extended the NFL's longest active winning streak to nine games.
Stafford finished 19 of 26 for 219 yards and also connected with tight end Brandon Pettigrew for an 18-yard score to tie a team record with his seventh straight game with at least two TD passes and keep Detroit tied with Green Bay atop the NFC North.
Best had his first career 100-yard rushing game, amassing 163 yards on only 12 carries.
Bears quarterback Jay Cutler lost for the first time in his last five starts against the Lions despite throwing for 249 yards on 28-of-38 passing. His 9-yard TD pass to Kellen Davis sent Chicago into the locker room with a 10-7 halftime lead.
Matt Forte had his second straight 100-yard effort with 116 yards on 22 carries, but it couldn't prevent the defending NFC North champs from falling three games back of the Packers and Lions.
After becoming the first team in league history to win back-to-back games by rallying from deficits of at least 20 points, Detroit had no trouble erasing Chicago's three-point halftime edge.
Stafford found Pettigrew over the middle to put the Lions ahead to stay at 14-10 with 9:55 left in the third.
On Detroit's next possession, Best burst through a gaping hole and raced untouched to the end zone for the second-longest run in team history and the second-longest ever allowed by the Bears.