Wondering about a player, a past game or another issue involving the Bears? Senior writer Larry Mayer answers a variety of questions from fans on ChicagoBears.com.
I'm hoping that the Bears can establish their running game against the Lions. How has David Montgomery performed in his career versus Detroit?
Mike A.
Antioch, Illinois
In four career games against the Lions, David Montgomery has rushed for 271 yards and two touchdowns on 63 carries, a 4.3-yard average. In those four contests he's gained 60, 75, 64 and 72 yards. He's also caught seven passes for 61 yards and one TD. Through three weeks of the season, the Lions run defense ranks 15th in the NFL, allowing an average of 114.3 yards per game.
When was the last time the Bears played the Lions when Matthew Stafford wasn't Detroit's quarterback?
Ross P.
Springfield, Illinois
Matthew Stafford started 20 of 24 games against the Bears during his 11 seasons with the Lions from 2009-20, missing four contests due to injury. The Bears won all four of those matchups, beating Stafford's replacements Daunte Culpepper 37-23 in 2009, Drew Stanton 24-20 in 2010 and Jeff Driskel 20-13 and David Blough 24-20 in 2019.
Do you think the Bears will make a personnel change on their offensive line, for instance inserting Alex Bars as a starter? From what I've heard, he's a very versatile player who can line up at multiple positions.
John G.
Chicago
Alex Bars is a versatile backup, but I don't expect the Bears to make any changes to their starting offensive line at this juncture. The focus this week heading into the Lions game is identifying and correcting the mistakes the line made in Sunday’s loss to the Browns.
Chalk Talk features fan questions multiple times each week. Email your question to Larry.
