Bears (5-6) at Lions (6-4)
12:40 p.m. ET, Fox
Line: Lions by 6
Preview | War Room preview | Baxter's bits

	One move that pleased Bears fans was re-signing Marcus Robinson.

Why to watch:
Before the main event later in the day, this NFC Central clash will whet your Thanksgiving appetite. In the league's tightest race, 1½ games separate first place (the Vikings, Bucs and Lions) from last place (the Bears). So all five Central teams clearly are in the playoff race, and things could change dramatically with just one game.

The Bears have been one of the season's biggest surprises under first-year coach Dick Jauron. Chicago features a wide-open passing offense that's fun to watch, and its last two games have gone to overtime. The Bears have won two of their last three, and only a missed field goal two weeks ago against Minnesota prevents the Bears from a 6-5 record and a three-game winning streak.

Speaking of surprises, the Lions were perhaps the biggest in the NFL at midseason. However, consecutive road losses at Arizona and Green Bay have dropped Detroit into a three-way tie for first. The Lions are 4-1 at the Silverdome, so they'll be looking to get back on track at home before playing divisional games on the road in December at Chicago, Tampa Bay and Minnesota.

Who to watch:
Bears QB Jim Miller, who had made only one NFL start before two weeks ago, has thrown for 779 yards in his last two starts. Watch him lob the ball up for athletic playmaker Marcus Robinson, a second-year wideout who has come out of nowhere to lead the NFC with 967 receiving yards on 53 catches. With 33 yards receiving, Robinson will become only Chicago's fourth 1,000-yard receiver since 1970. And remember, this guy has made only six starts this season.

Chicago's air attack will look to exploit a Lions secondary that will be missing suspended S Mark Carrier. Bears WR Curtis Conway returned from an ankle injury last week, but appears to be ailing again. Bears RB Curtis Enis is averaging just 3.2 yards per carry, but he's on pace to run for 1,070 yards in his first full NFL season. Ageless Bears DE Clyde Simmons leads the team with five sacks.

	INJURY REPORT
	Bears: No new injuries. Lions: OUT: CB Kevin Abrams (toe); RB Ron Rivers (ankle). DOUBTFUL: DE Jared DeVries (foot); CB Bryant Westbrook (hamstring). QUESTIONABLE: QB Charlie Batch (thumb); WR Herman Moore (knee); DE Tracy Scroggins (shoulder).

Lions WR Germane Crowell has at least 112 receiving yards and one TD in each of his last three games. Lions QB Charlie Batch had hoped to return to the lineup after missing the last two weeks with a jammed thumb on his throwing hand. However, the team announced Wednesday that Gus Frerotte will make his third consecutive start at quarterback. Frerotte, who has been terrific as the backup this season, is 0-2 as the starter in Batch's absence. Lions RBs Greg Hill and rookie Sedrick Irvin are sharing time in the backfield. Lions WR Herman Moore has played in just two games this season, but he will return from a troublesome knee injury.

Lions DE Robert Porcher has collected seven sacks in just nine games. Lions CB Robert Bailey starts in place of Bryant Westbrook, who's out with a pulled hamstring. The performance of Bailey and Lions CB Terry Fair will be critical in a patchwork secondary.

Bears' numbers to know:
Ten of Chicago's 11 games have been decided by seven points or less, including the two overtime contests. In other words, don't turn this one off early.

Lions' numbers to know:
The Lions have won the last five meetings with the Bears in Detroit, cruising by a combined margin of 164-62. When the two clubs met on Thanksgiving Day in 1997, the Lions rolled to a 55-20 rout. Detroit has a 30-27-2 all-time record on Thanksgiving Day.

What it means:
A three-game losing streak could take Detroit right out of the playoff picture -- especially considering the difficulty of the Lions' schedule down the stretch. As for the Bears, Jauron is talking playoffs, and a victory here could give his young club even more hope. Expect a high-scoring game with plenty of passing between two teams with no margin for error.

Sean Salisbury's breakdown
Bears' game plan:
The Bears can't get behind because the Silverdome crowd will take them out of the game. Miller has done a nice job of making plays, throwing to a new go-to-receiver in Robinson. Miller and Robinson need to find a rhythm in the first half, so the Bears aren't playing catch-up in a hostile environment.

Lions' game plan:
Defensively, Detroit needs to create schemes to combat the multitude of formations Chicago will run. The Lions can't let the Bears dictate the flow of the game. The Bears, under new offensive coordinator Gary Crowton, aren't afraid to empty the backfield on first down. They run a lot of motions and formations. The Lions can dictate the game by keeping the Bears in long-yardage situations. It will be critical for the Lions to keep the Bears in obvious passing situations, when they can pressure Miller more.