Takeaways from the Chicago Bears' Thanksgiving game against the Detroit Lions

It was not a happy holiday for the Chicago Bears in Detroit. Instead, it was another heartbreaking loss.

Facing the best of the best in the NFL, the Bears didn't show up in the first half. When they did show up in the second half, it was little too late.

The Bears defense played as well as it could against one of the best offenses in the NFL. That still led to a two-score lead at halftime for the Lions. 

The Bears were never out of it. It was a 10-point game with seven minutes to go in the game. A 31-yard touchdown toss from Caleb Williams to DJ Moore made it a three-point game with five minutes to go.

But, the Lions know how to win football games. They found a way to take care of business in the end to win 23-20 as the Bears, with a chance to tie the game, didn't call time out and let the clock run out on a final heave.

The Bears found another heartbreaking way to lose a game. Here are our takeaways:

Bears offense struggles, again 

After finding consistent success stringing drives against the Vikings and Packers, the Bears bottomed out in the first half against the Lions.

That can't happen against a team that's as good as Detroit. They took advantage with a 16-0 lead at halftime. That's only a two-score lead, but for the Bears that has to feel like three or four scores.

The Bears did wake up, scoring a touchdown on their first drive of the second half. Williams zipped a pass to Keenan Allen for a 31-yard touchdown on a play that was a good reminder of the talent the Bears have on offense.

But, a late start was too much to overcome. 

It's also easy to figure out where the struggles start.

So far this season, Caleb Williams has now been sacked 49 times. That's the most in the league. The Bears' offensive line has to improve if the Bears want to have any offensive success.

Williams is a tough cookie

In the third quarter, Caleb Williams took an awkward shot to the knees as he scrambled for a first down and went out of bounds.

All of Chicago seemingly held its breath for its star No. 1 overall pick and future at quarterback.

Williams, shaking off the injury, picked himself up and first a 31-yard score to Keenan Allen. Yeah, the kid is okay.

That touchdown pass was an example of how tough Williams is. Considering how many times he's been sacked this season, he's picked himself up and found a way to show that he's a gamer.

The Bears got themselves a good one, and he's showing his tangible and intangible traits as the season goes on. It's not an easy one for Williams with an ongoing losing streak. Williams willed the Bears back into the game, making it a three-point game with five minutes left.

It is showing on the stat sheet, too. Williams also set two records on Thursday.

First, he broke Charlie O'Rouke's Bears rookie record for touchdown passes in a season with his 12th touchdown of the season. O'Rourke's played his rookie in 1942.

Later, he set an NFL rookie record with consecutive passes thrown without an interception with his 212th consecutive pass without a turnover. That broke Kyler Murray's record. 

The Lions are in a different class

When it comes to playing complimentary football, the Lions are a perfect example of that idea.

There was a moment where the Bears had 15 yards of total offense and Detroit's offense had 17 total first downs. By the time the Bears had run their fourth offensive play, the Lions had already run 23 offensive plays.

Part of this was the Bears' fault. They couldn't string together consistent success on offense in any capacity.

The other half of it was the Lions being a very good football team.

Detroit blocks well, hits hard and does all the fundamental parts of football at a high level. The Bears had holds, pre-snap flags and offensive struggles that kept them down for an entire half.

That might be acceptable against the Tennessee Titans. But the Lions are a different animal (pun intended) where any kind of struggle can be taken advantage of in a drive.

Once that success is established, the Lions build on their momentum better than any other team in the NFL.

The Bears felt that right away on Thursday.