Rapid Recap: Bears' second-half rally falls just short in Detroit

DETROIT – Bears rookie Caleb Williams threw three touchdown passes in the second half Thanksgiving Day in Detroit, but it wasn't enough to overcome a 16-0 halftime deficit in a 23-20 loss to the Lions.

Williams connected with Keenan Allen for scores of 31 and 9 yards on the Bears' first two possessions of the second half. Williams later hit DJ Moore with a 31-yard TD with 5:36 remaining in the game, cutting the deficit to 23-20.

After the defense forced a Lions punt, the Bears took over at their own 1 with 3:31 to play. They marched to the Detroit 25. But a 12-yard pass to Allen to the 13 was nullified by a penalty on Teven Jenkins for illegal hands to the face. Williams was then sacked for a 6-yard loss back to the 41. His desperation pass deep down the middle to Rome Odunze fell incomplete as time expired.

"Offense did a heck of a job in the second half in terms of efficiency and scoring points and getting us in position," said coach Matt Eberflus. "Defense did what it had to do to put us in position to win the game as well, and then it came down to that last drive."

The final drive was sustained by a 29-yard pass interference penalty on Lions cornerback Kindle Vildor on a fourth-and-14 play from the Bears' 46. It resulted in a first down at the Detroit 25.

The Bears were outgained 405-301 in the game, including 194-78 on the ground. Williams completed 20 of 39 passes for 256 yards with three TDs, no interceptions and a 97.8 passer rating.

Even when the Bears were down 16-0 at halftime, their rookie quarterback still believed they could win the game.

"We knew we were in the fight," Williams said. "We've been in many of those games where we were down and came back … We have belief in ourselves to be able to go out there and do that. It's tough doing all of that and then not being able to come out with the win, but it's definitely encouraging because the fight that these guys have overall … I go around and tell the guys after this game and these past couple games that I love them and appreciate them, and let's keep going."

For the Lions, Jared Goff connected on 21 of 34 passes for 221 yards with two TDs, no interceptions and a 100.2 passer rating. David Montgomery (21 carries for 88 yards) and Jahmyr Gibbs (9-87) combined to rush for 194 yards on 33 carries.

The Lions opened the game with a methodical 15-play, 58-yard drive that was capped by Jake Bates' 30-yard field goal, giving Detroit a 3-0 lead. Goff completed 5 of 7 passes for 32 yards and Montgomery rushed for 27 yards on six carries.

Detroit extended its lead to 10-0 on Goff's 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end Sam LaPorta across the back of the end zone on the first play of the second period. Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 52 yards on five carries on the 10-play, 90-yard drive.

Bates made it 13-0 on the Lions' third possession with a 36-yard field goal. Detroit settled for the kick after having first-and-goal at the 4. It came one snap after Gervon Dexter Sr. sacked Goff on third-and-goal from the 9, a play that was keyed by T.J. Edwards pressuring Goff on a blitz up the middle.

After Bates' 48-yard field goal widened the margin to 16-0 with 3:11 left in the half, the Bears turned the ball over on downs at their own 37 when Williams was unable to connect with Swift on a wheel route down the right sideline.

The Lions were in position to increase their lead. But Tyrique Stevenson drilled Gibbs after a 13-yard catch to the Bears' 6, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Dexter.

After taking a big hit on a 9-yard scramble, Williams fired a 31-yard touchdown pass to Allen to cap the Bears' opening drive of the second half, cutting the deficit to 16-7 with 9:47 left in the third quarter.

The Lions answered, extending their lead to 23-7 on Goff's 4-yard TD pass to LaPorta. The 11-play, 78-yard drive was sustained by a 15-yard penalty on Kyler Gordon for a horse collar tackle.

Williams and Allen then connected for a second TD, a 9-yarder, early in the fourth quarter. After failing to convert the subsequent two-point conversion, the Bears trailed 23-13.

After Bates missed a 45-yard field goal attempt midway through the fourth quarter, Williams lofted a 31-yard TD pass to Moore, cutting the deficit to 23-20 with 5:36 remaining in the game.

With the loss, the Bears fell to 4-8 on the season. They'll return to action a week from Sunday when they visit the 49ers in San Francisco.