CHICAGO — Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears withstood several late threats to beat the New England Patriots 30-24 on Thursday night at Soldier Field. With 4:59 remaining, Williams hit Rome Odunze for a 21-yard gain on third-and-9 from the Bears’ 10 to extend the drive, and Cairo Santos converted a career-long 58-yard field goal — the third-longest in Soldier Field history — to seal the victory.
Williams finished 22-of-33 for 308 yards and two touchdowns, marking his second straight 300-yard passing game, according to ESPN. He became the first Bears player with consecutive 300-yard games since Mitchell Trubisky’s three-game stretch in 2018 and the first Bears quarterback with back-to-back 300-yard, zero-interception games since Brian Hoyer in 2016.
Receiver Luther Burden III caught all four of his targets for 130 yards and a touchdown. Every catch Burden made in the first half resulted in points, including a 24-yard touchdown just before halftime, and it was the third 100-yard receiving outing of his career, according to ESPN. Burden also recorded multiple 25-yard receptions in the first quarter and has amassed 250 yards after the catch this season, the second-most by a wide receiver behind Drake London.
Chicago’s defense continued a streak of recording multiple sacks in every game this season, totaling at least two against Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, per ESPN. The Bears relied on a heavy blitz approach, but those tactics produced two of New England’s biggest plays when Chicago rushed six: Rhamondre Stevenson’s 48-yard touchdown to end the first half and Eli Raridon’s 30-yard scoring pass.
Maye completed 24 of 31 passes for 321 yards with two touchdowns and one interception and added four rushes for 26 yards and a rushing touchdown; the score was initially ruled short before being overturned on replay, ESPN reported. The second-quarter interception was New England’s only turnover in the game. The Patriots entered the contest with 14 giveaways and a minus-7 turnover differential, prompting coach Mike Vrabel to call the situation “an embarrassment,” according to ESPN. The Bears visit the Seattle Seahawks on Monday, Nov. 2 (ESPN).
