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Bush leads Lions over Bears

Sep 29, 2013 - 11:29 PM Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Reggie Bush ran for 139 yards and a touchdown as the Detroit Lions dominated the Chicago Bears, 40-32, in an NFC North battle at Ford Field.

Bush carried the ball 18 times and also had four catches for 34 yards for the Lions (3-1), who snapped a three-game losing streak to the Bears and have now won two straight since falling to Arizona in Week 2.

"The offensive line did a tremendous job today," said Bush. "We had talked all week about them being the key to our success. They did a great job and I really didn't get touched during the game."

Matthew Stafford was 23-for-35 for 242 yards with one touchdown, and an interception, but also added a rushing touchdown and fumbled the ball once for Detroit, which has won both its home games this season.

Jay Cutler had a tough game as he was picked off three times and also lost a fumble. He finished the game 27-for-47 for 317 yards and two touchdowns for the Bears (3-1), who had won their first three games to start a season for just the third time in the last 20 years.

"They won all three phases and deserved to win the game today," said Chicago head coach Marc Trestman. "At halftime we got together and told ourselves we were going to play hard the next 30 minutes. I thought we did that and I know there are no moral victories, but it was nice to see the guys fight like that."

Chicago's first possession of the game paid off as Robbie Gould hit a 34-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead with 8 1/2 minutes left in the first. The big play of the drive was a 30-yard catch over the middle by Martellus Bennett.

Detroit came right back to get a field goal of its own as David Akers hit a 23-yarder to tie the game with 2:38 left in the first. Bush had carries of 17 and 11 yards to get the ball past midfield, while Calvin Johnson caught a 14- yard pass before the drive stalled at the Chicago 5.

Louis Delmas picked off a Cutler pass on the next drive and Detroit got the ball back at the Chicago 31. The team only managed one first down, though, and a 31-yard field goal from Akers made it a 6-3 game early in the second quarter.

It only took two plays, though, for Chicago to take the lead back as Matt Forte took a pitch to the right and raced 53 yards without getting touched for a touchdown and a 10-6 lead with 13:44 left in the half.

The Lions put together another impressive drive, getting down to the Chicago 23, but had to settle for another field goal from Akers, this one from 41 yards out that made it a 10-9 game.

Things got a lot better for Detroit from there, though, as the team held Chicago to a three-and-out and Michael Spurlock returned the punt 57 yards to the Chicago 22. Four plays later, Stafford leaped over the goal line and had the ball knocked out of his hands, but it came right back to him for a 1-yard score with 6:09 to play.

On the first play of the Bears' next drive, Cutler was picked off by Glover Quin, who returned the ball to the Chicago 2. On the next play, Stafford lofted a pass to the left corner where Johnson made the catch for a 23-10 lead with 5:47 left.

Another three-and-out from Chicago saw Detroit get the ball back near midfield, and the second play saw Bush take a handoff up the middle, cut it out to the right and leap over a defender before getting into the end zone on a 37-yard score and a 30-10 lead with 2:43 remaining in the half.

The Bears got a 28-yard field goal from Gould on the final play of the half after recovering a Stafford fumble to make it a 30-13 game.

Chicago got three more points on a 25-yard field goal from Gould just under six minutes into the third to make it a 30-16 game.

The score stayed that way until later in the third as Cutler was sacked and stripped of the ball by Ndamukong Suh with Nick Fairley picking up the ball and taking it into the end zone from four yards out to give the Lions a 37-16 lead going into the fourth quarter.

"I was able to bend the corner and I saw Jay holding the ball," said Suh. "I just wanted to get a good swipe on it and I did. Next thing I see is Nick picking it up and going in."

After an Akers 43-yard field goal made it a 40-16 game with 8:57 to play, Cutler marched his team down the field, converting a pair of fourth downs with Alshon Jeffery catching a 14-yard touchdown on 4th-and-3. Jeffery then caught a pass for the 2-point conversion and it was a 40-24 game with 4:00 to go.

Joique Bell lost a fumble on Detroit's next touch and Chicago recovered. Cutler and the Bears were able to make it a one-score game as Earl Bennett caught a 10-yard score and Brandon Marshall caught the 2-point conversion for a 40-32 game with 43 seconds to play.

Detroit, though, recovered the onsides kick and went into the victory formation.

Game Notes

The Bears have scored 41 points in the first quarter this season ... Chicago totaled 417 yards, but went just 1-for-13 on third downs ... Detroit had 387 yards and controlled the ball for close to 32 minutes ... Forte finished the game with 95 yards on 14 carries ... Detroit plays at Green Bay next Sunday ... Chicago hosts New Orleans next Sunday.