Lions coach fumes after loss

In addition to winning, the Bears have done a fine job recently at frustrating opposing coaches.

Last week, Seahawks coach Jim Mora Jr. ripped his kicker, Olindo Mare, in a lengthy diatribe after the Bears' 25-19 win at Qwest Field. This week, it was Lions coach Jim Schwartz's turn to vent during a postgame interview with reporters.

The Lions' first-year coach spoke after the Bears outscored Detroit, 27-3, in the second half to cruise to a 48-24 win.

"One of the worst halves of football I've ever been associated with," Schwartz said. "We were poor on special teams, we were poor on offense, we were poor on defense. We were out-coached, we were out-played. Their trainers were probably better than ours in the second half.

"So credit goes to them," he said. "They came out after halftime and played a really good half of football. We played a poor half of football, and that's where it is."

Schwartz could not settle for one facet of the game as the most upsetting. The Bears' average drive started on the Lions' 46-yard-line, but that was only one of Schwartz's concerns.

"Turnovers, poor coverage units, poor return units, all that," he said. "I mean, good gracious, I don't know what our average defensive starting point was, but it was probably over midfield. That's obviously no way to be able to play. I mean, like I said, we got out-played on offense, defense and special teams."

The Lions and Bears meet again for the final regular-season game Jan. 3 in Detroit. You can bet Schwartz will give his team another earful in the week preceding that game.

-Tom Musick