DETROIT (AP) — Long before Matthew Stafford’s two interceptions in the fourth quarter White Travis Fulgham Jersey , the Detroit Lions looked limited offensively.Playing without running back Kerryon Johnson and wide receiver Marvin Jones, the Lions kept it close against Chicago on Thursday but ultimately fell 23-16 . Stafford’s late interceptions turned the game in the Bears’ favor, but even when Detroit was keeping better care of the ball, the Lions weren’t exactly picking up huge chunks of yardage. Detroit has some extra time to rest now, and perhaps the Lions will be healthier for their next game — but that Dec. 2 matchup is against a formidable opponent in the Los Angeles Rams.“There’s not a lot of time to sit around and feel sorry for ourselves,” Detroit coach Matt Patricia said. “We have one of the best teams in the NFL coming in here next week.”The Lions (4-7) already have as many losses as they had all of last season, when they went 9-7 before firing coach Jim Caldwell and replacing him with Patricia. It has been a struggle in 2018: The team started 0-2, battled back to 3-3, then lost three straight. Detroit was 3-4 when it traded receiver Golden Tate to the Eagles. Now Jones has been dealing with a knee injury, further hampering the passing game.Receiver Kenny Golladay looks like he could be developing into a star, but against the Bears he seemed like Detroit’s only big-play threat.Stafford finished 28 of 38 for 236 yards in the Thanksgiving loss to Chicago. It was the third time in four games he averaged under 10 yards per completion. He indicated afterward that the Lions prioritized quick passes to deal with Chicago’s pass rush.“I think it’s just influenced by what you see on tape when you see them play. Teams that hold the ball against those guys don’t get the ball off quite a bit,” Stafford said. “I don’t make those two turnovers, I don’t make those poor plays, we’re right where we want to be.”With the score tied at 16, Stafford threw an interception that was run back for a touchdown. Then he had a pass picked off in the end zone with just over a minute to play.Both Jones and Johnson were out with knee injuries. Johnson Danny Amendola Jersey , a rookie, has given Detroit’s running game a boost, but even with him out, the Lions were able to move the ball decently on the ground. LeGarrette Blount ran for a season-high 88 yards with two touchdowns.“He’s a great player. He’s tough, he’s competitive, he works hard and tries to do everything the right way,” Patricia said. “He has a great knack for continually going after it and eventually, at some point, he (was) able to break a couple, which was good. But look, it doesn’t really matter. We have to go win. We have to figure it out. We have to all perform better, and coach it better, and just go do a better job than what we did.”NOTES: The Lions announced Friday that they have been assigned CB Marcus Cooper via waivers from the Bears. Detroit waived S Don Carey. … Although injuries made the going tougher on offense, the Lions had reason to be encouraged by DE Ziggy Ansah’s performance. Ansah has dealt with injury problems of his own this year, but he was a factor Thursday with a sack and two hurries. With the 2018 NFL season now a week in the rear-view mirror Trey Flowers Jersey , it’s time to look forward into the offseason abyss. It’s not all bad news, however. The NFL, more so than any other professional sports league, knows how to sell their offseason to a point where the eight-month gap between games doesn’t even seem that long. This feels like a particularly important offseason for the Detroit Lions. After a big step back in 2018, head coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn are running out of time to win over the Lions fanbase. And with some of their better players (Darius Slay, Matthew Stafford, Damon Harrison Sr.) getting older, the time is now for the Lions to make a move. The next three months are absolutely key for Detroit to become competitive again.So to help you navigate through the next important dates and events in the NFL calendar, here is our offseason guide.February12: CFL signing dayAt noon ET, NFL teams are free to sign any CFL players whose contracts have expired in 2019.19: Franchise Tag opensStarting on Feb. 19, teams can designate players with a franchise or transition tag. 26 - March 4: NFL Scouting CombineThe biggest event remaining before the NFL Draft in April, the NFL Combine has become a huge spectacle. Some of the best talent the 2019 NFL Draft will have to offer (see a list of the 338 invitees here) will travel down to Indianapolis to show off their athletic traits and work on drills in front of representatives for all 32 teams. March5: Franchise Tag deadlineIf a team plans on using the franchise tag, it must be designated by March 5 at 4 p.m. ET. 11-13: Free agency tampering periodTeams will be able to negotiate with agents (not the players themselves) of players that will be unrestricted free agents 13: Restricted free agency tender deadlineBy 4 p.m. ET, teams must offer restricted free agency tenders to their own players, or they will become unrestricted free agents. 13: FREE AGENCYStarting at 4 p.m. ET Damon Harrison Jersey , teams may official sign any players that have become unrestricted free agents.17: Stafford roster bonusMatthew Stafford is due a fully guaranteed $5.5 million roster bonus. 24-27: League meetingsApril15: Offseason workoutsTeams may begin offseason workouts with strict limitations on what kind of activities are allowed. (Teams with new head coaches can start on April 1.)Mid-month: NFL schedule releasedThere’s no official date yet, but previous schedule releases happened on the 19th, 20th, 14th, 21st, 23rd and 18th.19: Restricted free agent deadlineRFAs with offer sheets must sign the tender by April 19.25-27: NFL DRAFTMayRookie minicampTeams can select from three different dates to hold their three-day rookie minicamp: May 3-5, May 4-6 or May 10-13. May 20: Spring league meetingsJuneLate May/early June: Organized Team Meetings (OTAs)Starting sometime in late May, teams are permitted to have three sets of OTAs—10 days total. Practices are non-contract, but resemble more traditional practices (seven-on-sevens, 11-on-11s). July15: Franchise tag deadlineTeams have until July 15 to sign a franchise tagged player to a long-term deal. If a contract is not signed, the player must either sign the franchise tag or sit out the season. Mid/Late July: TRAINING CAMPAugust1: Hall of Fame GameAll month: Preseason31: Roster cut-down dayBy 4 p.m. ET, all 32 teams must be down to a 53-man roster. September8-9: Week 1 of the regular seasonWe made it!