Looking at the two games the Bears and Lions played in 1981.
Game 1- Lions blow out the Bears in the 2nd half for a 48-17 win. Bears offense gains 449 yards behind Vince Evans nearly 300 yards passing, Payton's 100+ scrimmage yards. I've heard of a lot of NFL players, but I never heard of a Bears WR from Tulane named Marcus Anderson. In this game, Anderson basically has his career output by catching 6 passes for 176 yards and a TD.
Game 2 - five weeks later at Chicago, Lions win the rematch 23-7. Bears offense gains 24 yards as their TD comes on an INT return. Vince Evans posts a 4-19-21-0-2 INT statline and the Bears wind up with -20 net passing yards while attempting to pass 37 times. Both Evans and replacement Bob Avellini post 0.0 ratings. Weird!
1981 Bears-Lions series
Re: 1981 Bears-Lions series
Some thing to consider the game time temp was 22 degrees with a 13 degree wind chill.
Evans/Avellini were sacked 7 times for total loss of 61 yds.
One Bears WR caught two passes Rickey Watts 2-24yds. No other WR or TE caught a pass.
Lions first downs 20 Bears 4
Lions ran for 229 yds, 117 from Billy Sims.
So the Lions out Beared the Bears winning with a ground game and defense.
Evans/Avellini were sacked 7 times for total loss of 61 yds.
One Bears WR caught two passes Rickey Watts 2-24yds. No other WR or TE caught a pass.
Lions first downs 20 Bears 4
Lions ran for 229 yds, 117 from Billy Sims.
So the Lions out Beared the Bears winning with a ground game and defense.