Game story
In Week 12 of the 1999 NFL season on 1999-11-25, the Detroit Lions took care of business against the Chicago Bears, pulling away with a 21–17 final that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.
The highest-scoring period was Q2 with 21 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
G. Frerotte (Detroit Lions) paced the passing game, with +10.63 total EPA.
On the individual side, G. Frerotte (Detroit Lions) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +10.63 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (+42.9% win probability) landed in the opening quarter when Chicago Bears changed the game: J.Hanson kicks 67 yards from DET 30 to CHI 3. G.Milburn to CHI 21 for 18 yards (B.Olivo).
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 0 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| Detroit Lions | 7 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 G. Frerotte · Detroit Lions · Passing · +10.63 total EPA · 45 snaps · +0.24 EPA/play
- 2 J. Morton · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +6.29 total EPA · 8 snaps · +0.79 EPA/play
- 3 G. Crowell · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +2.05 total EPA · 12 snaps · +0.17 EPA/play
- 4 M. Booker · Chicago Bears · Receiving · +1.98 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.49 EPA/play
- 5 G. Milburn · Chicago Bears · Rushing · +1.92 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.92 EPA/play
- 6 C. Schlesinger · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +1.76 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.35 EPA/play
- 7 M. Robinson · Chicago Bears · Receiving · +1.69 total EPA · 8 snaps · +0.21 EPA/play
- 8 A. Mayes · Chicago Bears · Receiving · +1.53 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.53 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
G. Frerotte — DET · Passing
G. Frerotte posted the highest total EPA (+10.63) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Detroit Lions's efficiency. Across 45 counted snaps, they averaged +0.24 EPA per play.
The signature play (-6.66 EPA) came from Chicago Bears: (2:37) (Shotgun) J.Miller pass intended for B.Engram INTERCEPTED by S.Kowalkowski (R.Porcher) at CHI 30. S.Kowalkowski to CHI 1 for 29 yards (B.Engram).
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Detroit Lions — unlisted player
- Detroit Lions — unlisted player
- Detroit Lions — unlisted player
- Chicago Bears — unlisted player
- Chicago Bears — unlisted player
Field goals
- Chicago Bears — unlisted player
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: Detroit Lions won the period 7–0. Detroit Lions found the end zone from the CHI 45 (Q1 58:27) — (13:27) G.Frerotte pass to G.Crowell for 45 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Detroit Lions added 1 points from the CHI 2 (Q1 56:13) — J.Hanson extra point is GOOD, Center-M.Compton, Holder-J.Jett..
The second quarter: Detroit Lions won the period 14–7. Detroit Lions found the end zone from the CHI 29 (Q2 36:22) — (6:22) G.Hill left end for 29 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Detroit Lions added 1 points from the CHI 2 (Q2 32:45) — J.Hanson extra point is GOOD, Center-M.Compton, Holder-J.Jett.; Detroit Lions found the end zone from the CHI 2 (Q2 31:51) — (1:51) G.Frerotte pass to J.Morton for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Detroit Lions added 1 points from the CHI 2 (Q2 31:45) — J.Hanson extra point is GOOD, Center-M.Compton, Holder-J.Jett.; Chicago Bears found the end zone from the DET 3 (Q2 30:35) — (:35) J.Miller pass to A.Mayes for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Chicago Bears added 1 points from the DET 2 (Q2 30:30) — C.Boniol extra point is GOOD, Center-P.Mannelly, Holder-T.Sauerbrun..
The third quarter: Chicago Bears won the period 3–0. Chicago Bears connected on a field goal from the DET 8 (Q3 27:14) — (12:14) C.Boniol 27 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-P.Mannelly, Holder-T.Sauerbrun..
The fourth quarter: Chicago Bears won the period 7–0. Chicago Bears found the end zone from the DET 23 (Q4 15:00) — (15:00) (Shotgun) J.Miller pass to M.Booker for 23 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Chicago Bears added 1 points from the DET 2 (Q4 14:53) — C.Boniol extra point is GOOD, Center-P.Mannelly, Holder-T.Sauerbrun..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Chicago Bears (Q1 60:00) — J.Hanson kicks 67 yards from DET 30 to CHI 3. G.Milburn to CHI 21 for 18 yards (B.Olivo).
- Detroit Lions (Q1 58:27) — (13:27) G.Frerotte pass to G.Crowell for 45 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Detroit Lions (Q4 6:09) — (6:09) G.Frerotte pass to G.Hill to CHI 34 for 15 yards (T.Cousin).
- Detroit Lions (Q4 6:09) — (6:09) G.Frerotte pass to C.Schlesinger to DET 46 for 12 yards (T.Cousin).
- Chicago Bears (Q3 17:07) — (2:07) T.Sauerbrun punts 48 yards to DET 49, Center-P.Mannelly. I.Uwaezuoke to DET 49 for no gain. FUMBLES, RECOVERED by CHI-K.Burns at DET 49. K.Burns to DET 49 for no gain (Team). Penalty on DET-R.B
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Chicago Bears (Q2 32:37) — (2:37) (Shotgun) J.Miller pass intended for B.Engram INTERCEPTED by S.Kowalkowski (R.Porcher) at CHI 30. S.Kowalkowski to CHI 1 for 29 yards (B.Engram).
- Chicago Bears (Q3 17:07) — (2:07) T.Sauerbrun punts 48 yards to DET 49, Center-P.Mannelly. I.Uwaezuoke to DET 49 for no gain. FUMBLES, RECOVERED by CHI-K.Burns at DET 49. K.Burns to DET 49 for no gain (Team). Penalty on DET-R.B
- Detroit Lions (Q1 58:27) — (13:27) G.Frerotte pass to G.Crowell for 45 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Detroit Lions (Q2 36:22) — (6:22) G.Hill left end for 29 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Quarterback report card
G.Frerotte led all passers in efficiency for Detroit Lions, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- G.Frerotte (Detroit Lions) · 45 dropbacks · 64.4% completion · +0.24 EPA/play · +10.63 total EPA
- J.Miller (Chicago Bears) · 40 dropbacks · 62.5% completion · -0.17 EPA/play · -6.87 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Chicago Bears | Detroit Lions |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.060 | -0.024 |
| Offensive success rate | 39.5% | 39.0% |
| Pass EPA/play | -0.196 | +0.271 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.394 | -0.290 |
| Defensive EPA/play | +0.024 | +0.060 |
| Defensive success rate | 61.0% | 60.5% |
By the numbers
Both offenses finished within striking distance on EPA per play (Chicago Bears -0.06, Detroit Lions -0.02) — a true toss-up on the analytics sheet.
- Chicago Bears: 13 drives, -4.58 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
- Detroit Lions: 13 drives, -2.39 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Detroit Lions leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
- G. Frerotte (Detroit Lions) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q1 58:27 · CHI 45 · Score 0-6
(13:27) G.Frerotte pass to G.Crowell for 45 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Detroit Lions XP (+1) — Q1 56:13 · CHI 2 · Score 0-7
J.Hanson extra point is GOOD, Center-M.Compton, Holder-J.Jett. - Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q2 36:22 · CHI 29 · Score 0-13
(6:22) G.Hill left end for 29 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Detroit Lions XP (+1) — Q2 32:45 · CHI 2 · Score 0-14
J.Hanson extra point is GOOD, Center-M.Compton, Holder-J.Jett. - Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q2 31:51 · CHI 2 · Score 0-20
(1:51) G.Frerotte pass to J.Morton for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Detroit Lions XP (+1) — Q2 31:45 · CHI 2 · Score 0-21
J.Hanson extra point is GOOD, Center-M.Compton, Holder-J.Jett. - Chicago Bears TD (+6) — Q2 30:35 · DET 3 · Score 6-21
(:35) J.Miller pass to A.Mayes for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Chicago Bears XP (+1) — Q2 30:30 · DET 2 · Score 7-21
C.Boniol extra point is GOOD, Center-P.Mannelly, Holder-T.Sauerbrun. - Chicago Bears FG (+3) — Q3 27:14 · DET 8 · Score 10-21
(12:14) C.Boniol 27 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-P.Mannelly, Holder-T.Sauerbrun. - Chicago Bears TD (+6) — Q4 15:00 · DET 23 · Score 16-21
(15:00) (Shotgun) J.Miller pass to M.Booker for 23 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Chicago Bears XP (+1) — Q4 14:53 · DET 2 · Score 17-21
C.Boniol extra point is GOOD, Center-P.Mannelly, Holder-T.Sauerbrun.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Chicago Bears vs Detroit Lions?
The Detroit Lions beat the Chicago Bears 21-17 in Week 12, 1999 on 1999-11-25.
What was the final score of Chicago Bears vs Detroit Lions?
The final score was Chicago Bears 17, Detroit Lions 21 (CHI 17-21 DET) in Week 12, 1999 on 1999-11-25.
What was the score by quarter in Chicago Bears vs Detroit Lions?
Q1: Chicago Bears 0, Detroit Lions 7; Q2: Chicago Bears 7, Detroit Lions 14; Q3: Chicago Bears 3, Detroit Lions 0; Q4: Chicago Bears 7, Detroit Lions 0; Final: Chicago Bears 17, Detroit Lions 21.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Chicago Bears vs Detroit Lions?
Detroit Lions touchdown — unlisted player (Q1 58:27) Detroit Lions touchdown — unlisted player (Q2 36:22) Detroit Lions touchdown — unlisted player (Q2 31:51) Chicago Bears touchdown — unlisted player (Q2 30:35) Chicago Bears touchdown — unlisted player (Q4 15:00) Chicago Bears field goal — unlisted player (Q3 27:14, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Chicago Bears vs Detroit Lions?
G. Frerotte (Detroit Lions), 64.4% completion, +0.24 EPA per dropback, +10.63 total passing EPA. J. Miller (Chicago Bears), 62.5% completion, -0.17 EPA per dropback, -6.87 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Chicago Bears vs Detroit Lions?
G. Frerotte (Detroit Lions) led the game in total EPA with +10.63 on passing plays. across 45 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-6.66 EPA): (2:37) (Shotgun) J.Miller pass intended for B.Engram INTERCEPTED by S.Kowalkowski (R.Porcher) at CHI 30. S.Kowalkowski to CHI 1 for 29 yards (B.Engram).. The biggest win-probability swing was +42.9%.
Was Chicago Bears vs Detroit Lions a close game?
Yes — the margin was 4 points. Detroit Lions won 21-17 in a game that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.
Season records after this game
Chicago Bears
Entered 5-6 Now 5-7 L
Detroit Lions
Entered 6-4 Now 7-4 W
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