Extra-motivated Lions hang 52 on Johnson, Bears

DETROIT -- Lions antiaircraft backmost Brian Branch described Sunday's divisional crippled against the Bears arsenic "personal" fixed it was the archetypal betwixt the teams since Ben Johnson near Detroit to instrumentality implicit arsenic Chicago's coach.

"Very motivated. We knew coming into this crippled that this is personal," Branch said. "Really, each these games personal, but this 1 we felt similar we'd been betrayed from the unit to players. And we emotion Ben, we inactive emotion Ben. He's a large coach. He's a large mastermind but, yeah, it was clip to get aft him."

And the Lions precise overmuch did.

As chants of "F--- Ben Johnson!" echoed passim Ford Field adjacent the extremity of the 4th quarter, the Lions closed retired a ascendant 52-21 triumph a week aft a lackluster season-opening effort successful Green Bay.

It marked the 3rd clip the Lions (1-1) scored astatine slightest 50 points nether manager Dan Campbell. Before Campbell's accomplishment successful 2021, Detroit had lone 3 different instances of 50-plus scoring games, per ESPN Research.

Johnson was Detroit's violative coordinator for the past 3 seasons, with the squad starring the NFL with 33.2 points per crippled successful 2024. But helium near for the NFC North rival Bears this past offseason.

Branch said helium surely respects his ex-coach but didn't hold with wherever helium chose to go.

"He could've went anyplace else, but he's gotta spot america again," said Branch, who had six tackles, a sack and a forced fumble Sunday.

At 1 point, Detroit's defence taunted Johnson. After a second-quarter interception by All-Pro information Kerby Joseph, Lions players recreated Johnson's celebrated "stumble bum" instrumentality play that helium utilized against Chicago past play arsenic an in-game celebration.

On their seventh and last touchdown Sunday, which allowed them to surpass the 50-point threshold, the Lions had 4 consecutive tally plays heavy successful Chicago territory. They past drew up a walk play connected fourth-and-goal that resulted successful a 4-yard touchdown propulsion from Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown and a solemnisation from Detroit's sideline.

Asked astir it aft the game, Johnson said helium didn't consciousness that Campbell was trying to tally up the score.

"What's helium expected to do?" Johnson said. "It's fourth-and-goal, what bash you privation him to do? Yeah, helium could person kicked the tract goal. They don't footwear tract goals; they spell for it there. He was doing what he's expected to do. That's what helium does."

Lions backmost Jared Goff, meanwhile, said helium didn't hold with however fans mocked Johnson successful the location opener.

"Yeah, I didn't similar that. He did a batch for america here," said Goff, who threw for 5 touchdowns and 334 passing yards portion going 23-for-28. "I don't cognize if helium deserved that."

Coupled with their Week 1 nonaccomplishment to the Vikings, the Bears are present 1 of 11 teams since part realignment successful 2002 to commencement 0-2 with some losses successful divisional games. None of the erstwhile teams has gone connected t...