The Chicago Bears beat the New England Patriots 30 to 24 on Thursday night at Soldier Field, holding off a late Patriots push in Week 7. Caleb Williams threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns for Chicago, while Drake Maye threw for 321 yards and two touchdowns for New England in a matchup of the top quarterbacks from the 2024 draft class.
Chicago led from the opening quarter and never trailed. The Bears improved to 5 and 2 with the win, while the Patriots fell to 4 and 3. Cairo Santos sealed the result with a career long 58 yard field goal with 1 minute 34 seconds remaining, giving Chicago a nine point lead when a shorter miss would have left the game open.
Williams and Burden Set the Early Tone
Chicago scored on its opening possessions and built a 10 to 0 lead in the first quarter. Santos opened the scoring with a 43 yard field goal, and D’Andre Swift added a four yard rushing touchdown late in the quarter. Swift finished with 22 carries for 78 yards and that touchdown, giving the Bears balance while Williams worked downfield.
Luther Burden III was the story of the first half. He caught four passes for 130 yards and a touchdown, with all of that production coming before halftime. His 24 yard touchdown catch on third and 17 late in the second quarter pushed the Chicago lead to 20 to 7 and showed how quickly this offence can turn a broken down play into points.
Williams finished 22 of 33 for 308 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, with a 116.7 passer rating. Colston Loveland added seven catches for 69 yards and a 12 yard touchdown in the third quarter, while Rome Odunze caught four passes for 69 yards and later recovered the onside kick that ended the game.
But that is my guy, Cairo. So, we believe in each other. Whenever anything happens, Cairo misses, cool. I have got your back, the defence has got your back. When maybe we do not score or put us in that situation, Cairo has our back.
Williams said that after the game, talking about Santos and the trust inside the Chicago locker room. The comment fit the night, because the Bears needed contributions from every phase to close this one out.
Maye Keeps New England in the Fight
Maye refused to let the game get away. He ran for a seven yard touchdown in the second quarter, then produced the wildest play of the first half on its final snap, finding Rhamondre Stevenson for a 48 yard catch and run touchdown as time expired. That score cut the Chicago lead to 20 to 14 at halftime and changed the mood in the building.
Stevenson caught all five of his targets for 93 yards and that touchdown, and he also ran for 22 yards on six carries. Maye added a 30 yard touchdown pass to Eli Raridon in the third quarter that made it 27 to 21, and he finished with 26 rushing yards and a touchdown on four carries to go with his passing line.
New England outgained Chicago only narrowly in reverse, with Chicago holding a 405 to 380 edge in total yards. The difference was timing. Chicago scored early, answered after the Stevenson touchdown with a nine play, 72 yard touchdown drive to open the second half, and then trusted its kicker late instead of forcing a play that was not there.
Santos Delivers the Kick of the Night
The decisive sequence came in the final two minutes. Williams took a 10 yard sack on third and five at the New England 30, a play that looked like it had pushed Chicago out of field goal range. Head coach Ben Johnson sent Santos out anyway, and Santos drove the 58 yarder through for a career long make and a 30 to 21 lead.
New England answered fast. Andy Borregales kicked a 47 yard field goal with 37 seconds left to make it 30 to 24, and the Patriots tried an onside kick for one last chance. Odunze recovered it for Chicago, and the Bears ran out the clock.
The win came on an emotional night in Chicago. It was the Bears first home game since the death of legendary former head coach Mike Ditka on October 9, and the team honoured him before the game. Chicago also lost tight end Cole Kmet to a right knee injury late in the fourth quarter. Kmet was carted off and ruled out, and Johnson said the team hoped to know more on Friday.
What the Result Means in Week 7
At 5 and 2, Chicago stays firmly in the NFC North race with a prime time win built on its young quarterback, its depth at receiver and its kicker. Williams has now delivered back to back strong outings, and the spread of targets, with Burden early, Loveland in the middle quarters and Odunze late, is exactly the shape Johnson wants from this offence.
For New England, the loss drops the Patriots to 4 and 3 and leaves them behind Buffalo in the AFC East. The Bills beat the Las Vegas Raiders 33 to 30 on Sunday in Week 6, and every divisional game from here carries extra weight for a Patriots team that showed it can score with anyone but could not get the one stop it needed in the first quarter or the final minute.
Thursday night games are often ugly and short on rhythm. This one was the opposite, a full sixty minute test that Chicago passed by making a couple more plays, in Johnsons own postgame words to his team. The Bears did not waver after the halftime touchdown, did not panic after the late sack, and finished the job at home.
