Detroit Lions are off to best start in franchise history after win over Chicago Bears
The Detroit Lions are officially off to the best start in franchise history.
The Lions snapped a seven-game losing streak on Thanksgiving to reach an 11-1 record for the first time over the 95-season history of the franchise. The Lions won a 10th straight game on a short week by taking down the Chicago Bears, 23-20.
It wasn't the most impressive win, as the Lions needed a clock-management meltdown from the Bears to take home the victory, but you won't find any Lions fans who will be feeling any shame after years of suffering.
The Lions are now in uncharted territory. Detroit tied the franchise record set by the 1934 Lions with its 10th straight win, and has leaped ahead of that squad for the best start through 12 games. The '34 Lions started 10-0 then lost the final three games of the regular season to finish at 10-3.
The 2024 Lions are now the sixth team in franchise history to reach 11 wins in a season, and did it with five games remaining. The team has reached the 11-win mark that the 2014, 1962 and 1931 teams did and still has over a month to match the 12-win ceiling set by the 1991 and 2023 teams.
With the win, the Lions maintained their lead in the NFC and NFC North over the Minnesota Vikings. Detroit has a 1½-game lead over the Philadelphia Eagles and Vikings for first place in the conference, with both those teams playing on Sunday.
The Lions have a shorter turnaround than normal after a Thanksgiving game. Next week, the Lions host the Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night Football in a critical division matchup that will be pivotal in determining the NFC North race.
Jared Ramsey is a sports reporter for the Detroit Free Press. Follow Jared on X @jared_ramsey22, and email him at jramsey@freepress.com.