DECIDED BY A FOOT

Heads were buried in hands, blank stares were everywhere and handshakes and hugs were exchanged in silence.

The Detroit Lions knew they had blown it.

Chicago knocked the Lions out of the NFL playoff race when rookie Paul Edinger kicked a 54-yard field goal with two seconds left Sunday, giving the Bears a 23-20 victory over the Lions.

“It doesn’t make any sense,” Detroit’s Johnnie Morton said. “We were favored by 10 points over a team that already had their stuff packed because they had nothing to play for.”

With Detroit’s loss, the defending Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams made the playoffs by beating the New Orleans Saints, 26-21.

All Detroit (9-7) had to do was beat the Bears (5-11) to qualify for the playoffs, but couldn’t take advantage of numerous breaks.

The Lions led, 10-0, midway through the first quarter and 17-13 early in the final quarter, but the Bears kept fighting back.

“That’s what separates the teams that make the playoffs from the ones that don’t,” Detroit’s Stephen Boyd said.

Detroit had a chance to take the lead after Allen Aldridge forced Bear running back James Allen to fumble at the Chicago 10 with 2:22 left. But the Lions had to settle for Jason Hanson’s 26-yard field goal, which tied the game at 20 with 1:56 left.

Chicago went three-and-out on the ensuing possession, but the Bears got it back when R.W. McQuarters hit backup quarterback Stoney Case, causing a fumble that was recovered by Rosevelt Colvin. Case was replacing Charlie Batch, who aggravated a rib injury late in the first half.

Cade McNown, subbing for the injured Shane Matthews, moved Bears 19 yards in five plays and 37 seconds. On a fourth-and-one situation, McNown had a 10-yard completion to Allen, putting Edinger in place for the game-winning kick.

McQuarters also had a 61-yard interception return for a touchdown to give the Bears a 20-17 lead with 6:31 left.