The Chicago Bears have four straight losses, a spot at the bottom of their division and little time left to salvage their once-promising season. If Detroit beats them, well, that might stamp out whatever is left.
The Bears look to stop their skid when they host Matthew Stafford and the struggling Lions on Sunday to start a relatively light stretch in the schedule.
They're banking on two games in the next four against Detroit (3-4-1) and one against the New York Giants to make something of a season quickly slipping away.
The Bears (3-5) expected to do plenty of that after capturing the NFC North last season at 12-4 and making the playoffs for the first time since 2010.
They were counting on quarterback Mitchell Trubisky to take another step forward and an offense that showed promise in coach Matt Nagy's first season to make more big plays. They did not anticipate their prized QB taking a step back, their line getting pushed around, the tight ends contributing little and the receivers - besides Allen Robinson - not delivering the way they hoped.
They've been bogged down by slow starts. And the lack of rhythm has limited the plays Nagy can call. It's all added up to an offense that ranks among the worst in the NFL.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft, Trubisky has seen a decline in completion rate (63%), yards per game (173.9), yards per attempt (5.6) and rating (80) from last season. He has just five touchdown passes after throwing for 24. But if he's going to break out, this might be the game to do it.
Trubisky had one of his best games as a pro against Detroit at Soldier Field last November. He completed 23 of 30 passes for 355 yards, three TDs, no interceptions and a 148.6 rating to lead Chicago to a 34-22 victory after losing nine of 10 to the Lions.
The Bears won two weeks later at Detroit with Chase Daniel filling in for the injured Trubisky to complete the sweep.
Even the defense has looked a little more vulnerable, though Chicago did sack Carson Wentz four times last week in a 22-14 loss at Philadelphia.
The Lions, meanwhile, have four losses in their past five games following a 2-0-1 start. Oakland beat them 31-24 last week when Stafford's pass to Logan Thomas from the 1 was broken up in the end zone with 3 seconds remaining.
The Bears figure to have their hands full with Stafford.
The veteran has thrown for 4,741 yards, 28 touchdowns and 21 interceptions in 18 games against Chicago. And he comes into this one on a bit of a roll.
Stafford has thrown for more than 300 yards, three-plus touchdowns and one interception in each of the past three games. He ranks second in NFL in TD passes (19), fourth in yards (2,499) and fifth in rating (106).
