INDIANAPOLIS >> Over the last two seasons, the Detroit Lions have become quite familiar with bucking historical trends.

They have the chance to do it again in a Thanksgiving Day contest against the Chicago Bears on Thursday, but they’ve got to turn the page quickly following a 24-6 win over the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday — no easy task given the attrition that’s hit Detroit’s locker room early and often.

Detroit hasn’t won on Thanksgiving Day since beating the Minnesota Vikings, 16-13, in 2016, and will look to snap that drought against a Bears team that’s lost five in a row following another heartbreaking loss, 30-27 in overtime, to Minnesota on Sunday.

“We’re in a good place, and we’re just playing ball, trying to get the next win, and this one is going to be huge. The division opponent, it’s a big one,” Lions head coach Dan Campbell said.

The Lions (10-1) earned themselves a nice cushion in their division lead with road wins against Minnesota (Week 7) and Green Bay Packers (Week 9) in their back pocket already, but both of those teams have upheld their winning ways outside of games against Detroit. The Vikings (9-2) avoided an upset against the Bears on Sunday and the Packers (8-3) rolled to a big win over the San Francisco 49ers.

“We’re excited, but by no means are we satisfied and complacent,” Lions quarterback Jared Goff said. “I know what we’re doing feels good right now, but we’ve got another big test this week against a division team at home and I think we have this Thanksgiving thing where we haven’t won in a while, and that’s something we want to change.”

The Lions saw last year how quickly things can begin to falter with a couple of in-division losses. Detroit took a nice lead over the rest of the NFC North in 2023 before losses to Green Bay (home on Thanksgiving) and Chicago (on the road) put their division lead on thin ice, nearly forcing Detroit into must-win territory for a Week 16 matchup at Minnesota.

“You can sit around here and it’s great, win another one, we’re all happy, but you lose a division game, and all of a sudden, man, it doesn’t feel real good,” Campbell said. Minnesota and Green Bay are just sitting right there and Chicago’s not out of this either, so this is a big week.”

Branch hoping to avoid another fine

Brian Branch’s 2024 season has been sensational.

It’s also been expensive for the second-year Lions safety, who will likely have another fine coming his way after being tagged with another personal foul in Detroit’s win over Indianapolis.

With 5:59 left in the contest, Colts receiver Michael Pittman hauled in a throw from Anthony Richardson along the sideline and was hit hard in-bounds by Branch, who was deemed by officials to have illegally used his helmet, leading to a 15-yard penalty that will surely hurt the wallet.

“I know it’s going to be a massive fine,” Branch said after the game. “Hopefully, I can appeal it.”

Branch has received five fines this year already, including two for lowering his helmet and another for making an obscene gesture while disputing one of those personal fouls. He was also fined for a hip-drop tackle in a Week 11 game against the Houston Texans.

In total, Branch, who will earn a base salary of around $1.1 million this season, has been fined $50,640 through the first 11 weeks.