NFC North leaders, the Chicago Bears' defense lived up to expectations raising their game Monday to beat the Detroit Lions 13-7.
Jay Cutler displayed an outstanding game to help his team to register a fourth consecutive win and maintain the division lead over the Minnesota Vikings.
Bears quarterback Cutler threw a touchdown pass to Brandon Marshall and kicker Robbie Gould added field goals to give the home team a 13-0 lead in the first half.
In the second quarter Cutler got injured and went off the fieldto get his ribs examined. He, however,returned in the second half.
"He's a tough guy," coach Lovie Smith said. "Most people thought Jay would get up. Unless it's a broken leg or something like that, he's going to get up.
"He is a tough guy. ... That was a gutsy effort by him. He was in some pain, but he fought through it."
With this defeat the Lions lie in the bottom of their division.
"It's tough," Lions receiver Calvin Johnson said. "We had a great week of practice last week and it just didn't translate. It just didn't translate to the field today."
The Lions never looked in good touch and they allowed opponents to take advantage easily. In the third quarter Joique Bell fumbled at the goal line.
Johnson finished with three catches for 34 yards and dropped a deep pass over the middle. He could not overcome the Bears' Charles Tillman.
"Calvin is one of the best players in the league," Smith said. "It's hard for Detroit to win games without him being productive. That's why you need a guy like Charles Tillman that can match up on him.
"It made them go look at other ways to get the ball down field. That's going to lead up to wins most of the time, when we can get that kind of effort out of Charles."
Lions receiver Nate Burleson got severely injured in the third quarter off a hit by Tim Jennings. He has been ruled out of the season with a broken leg.
"There is a lot of season left," Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford said. "We got a chance to play back home next week and play a tough Seattle team. It's a short week for us but honestly I'm glad it's a short week. I don't want to be sitting around thinking about this one too much longer."
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