Lions Scratch Out A Win Beating Bears Keeps Them Atop Division

Too bad the Lions can’t play the Thanksgiving Day game more often. Say, two or three times a year.

They won another one Thursday, their third without a loss under coach Bobby Ross.

Not necessarily the most exciting holiday game ever. Not their most memorable or most courageous or most dominating.

But it was a game the Lions needed to break their two-game losing streak and keep them on top of the free-for-all NFC Central Division race.

And they got it, under less than ideal circumstances - without quarterback Charlie Batch, free safety Mark Carrier and cornerback Bryant Westbrook.

Gus Frerotte threw touchdown passes to Germane Crowell and Johnnie Morton, and Greg Hill ran 29 yards for his first touchdown of the season - all in the first half - and the Lions held on for a 21-17 victory over the Chicago Bears before 77,905 at the Silverdome and a national television audience.

The Lions are 7-4, a half-game up on Minnesota and Tampa Bay. Sunday the Vikings host San Diego, and the Buccaneers play at Seattle. The Bears are 5-7.

“It’s a great victory for us,” said wide receiver Herman Moore. “It keeps us where we need to be, and it gives the team a lot of confidence. I think we were starting to lose a little bit after the last two losses, and it’s good to see us regain it.”

Chicago 0 7 3 7 - 17

Detroit 7 14 0 0 - 21

First quarter

Det-Crowell 45 pass from Frerotte (Hanson kick), 11:13.

Second quarter

Det-Hill 29 run (Hanson kick), 2:45.

Det-Morton 2 pass from Frerotte (Hanson kick), 1:45.

Chi.-Mayes 3 pass from Miller (Boniol kick), :30.

Third quarter

Chi-FG Boniol 27, 7:29. Drive: 13 plays, 72 yards, 4:45.

Fourth quarter

Chi-Booker 23 pass from Miller (Boniol kick), 14:53.

A-77,905.

Chi Det First downs 12 20 Rushes-yards 12-52 29-84 Passing 184 293 Punt Returns 2-14 5-34 Kickoff Returns 4-96 4-66 Interceptions Ret. 0-0 1-29 Comp-Att-Int 25-39-1 29-42-0 Sacked-Yards Lost 2-20 2-16 Punts 9-43.7 7-38.7 Fumbles-Lost 1-0 1-1 Penalties-Yards 3-25 6-40 Time of Possession 21:44 38:16

Individual statistics

RUSHING-Chicago, Milburn 1-30, Enis 6-10, McNown 1-9, Bennett 1-2, Allen 2-1, Miller 1-0. Detroit, Hill 19-68, Schlesinger 4-8, Frerotte 4-5, Irvin 2-3.

PASSING-Chicago, Miller 25-37-1-204, McNown 0-2-0-0. Detroit, Frerotte 29-42-0-309.

RECEIVING-Chicago, Conway 5-31, M.Robinson 4-61, Engram 4-41, Enis 4-7, Booker 2-27, Wetnight 2-15, Bennett 2-9, Milburn 1-10, Mayes 1-3. Detroit, Crowell 7-91, Morton 5-59, Sloan 3-34, Hill 3-32, Schlesinger 3-27, Irvin 3-20, Moore 2-26, Rasby 2-16, Stablein 1-4.

MISSED FIELD GOAL-Detroit, Hanson 53 (WL).