| The Bears know Detroit will be looking to put QB Jay Cutler on the ground when the two teams meet in next week’s edition of Monday Night Football. (AP) |
The divisional race normally makes Chicago Bears' games against the Detroit Lions a bit chippy.
When the teams play again on Monday night (Oct. 22), Bears players say they wouldn't be surprised if it happens again.
"There’s always going to be bad blood, just the fact that we’re Chicago and they’re Detroit," CB Tim Jennings said Monday. "And they’re in our division and we know we have to go through one another, so there’s always going to be bad blood with them, Minnesota and Green Bay. So it’s nothing different."
The Lions' reputation for rough stuff precedes them, but the two teams had a past of such things. Two years ago, Bears players felt Ndamakong Suh had struck a blow to the back of QB Jay Cutler's helmet as he was going down to the turf. The Lions felt it was a bad call, and it may have impacted the game.
Last year, Suh tore off Cutler's helmet early in the game. Later, Jennings intercepted a Matthew Stafford pass and the play resulted in teammate D.J. Moore getting ejected. Moore blocked Stafford on the return and Stafford grabbed Moore by the lower back edge of his helmet and threw him to the ground. When Moore retaliated by getting up and plowing into the Lions QB while he was still on his knees, all hell erupted and Moore got ejected from the game.
Stafford never was ejected. Moore later received a $15,000 fine and Stafford a $7,500 fine.
Still, coach Lovie Smith wouldn't call it a hostile situation with the Lions coming into Soldier Field following their 26-23 comeback overtime win against Philadelphia on Sunday.
"I don’t know about hostile -- no more than it ever has been," Smith said. "Just looking at our division, Chicago isn’t one of Detroit’s favorites. They’re not one of our favorites and it should be like that in the division.
"And when everybody is playing good ball you know you have to be ready each play. And there are a lot of stars, too, just for fans to watch this game. And then get a chance to play on Monday night also, there are just a lot of things."
The Lions won the first game in Detroit last season, 24-13, and some of the Bears felt Detroit players had run off at the mouth too much during the game. The Bears got their revenge in the 37-13 rout at Soldier Field that spawned the Stafford-Moore dustup.
"In the second one, I think that’s kind of the pace it’s going to be this year for the next two games with Detroit," TE Kellen Davis said. "So I’m looking forward to getting out there and mixing it up."
Follow Bears reporter Gene Chamberlain on Twitter @CBSBears.