CHICAGO — Caleb Williams threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns to help the Chicago Bears hold off Drake Maye and the New England Patriots in a 30-24 victory on Thursday night.
Williams completed 22 of 33 passes in his second appearance since missing time with a right hamstring injury. The performance made him the first Chicago quarterback to record back-to-back 300-yard passing games since Mitch Trubisky in 2018, The Guardian reported.
The matchup marked only the second career meeting between Williams and Maye, who were selected first and third overall, respectively, in the 2024 NFL draft. Maye completed 24 of 31 throws for 321 yards and two touchdowns for New England, but an interception in the end zone during the first half proved damaging.
“It’s amazing [having Williams on the field]. His leadership, his competitiveness, everyone around here feels it. He gets us going,” Bears running back D’Andre Swift said, according to The Guardian.
Tribute to Ditka at Soldier Field
The contest was Chicago’s first home game since Hall of Fame tight end and longtime head coach Mike Ditka died on Oct. 9. Before kickoff, the Bears honored Ditka with a moment of silence before a crowd of 60,520 spectators at Soldier Field, WFXT reported.
Fans throughout the stadium donned Ditka’s No. 89 jersey along with his signature sideline sweaters, while the franchise handed out fake mustaches to honor the coach who guided Chicago to its Super Bowl victory four decades earlier.
Chicago seized momentum early, taking a 10-0 advantage in the opening quarter following a 43-yard field goal from Cairo Santos and a four-yard touchdown run by Swift. Maye countered early in the second quarter with a seven-yard rushing touchdown to trim the deficit. Santos subsequently added a 31-yard kick to put Chicago up 13-7.
Wild sequence before halftime
The closing moments of the first half produced rapid scoring from both sides. With 14 seconds remaining, Williams found rookie receiver Luther Burden on a screen pass that turned into a 24-yard touchdown on third-and-17. Burden finished the night with four receptions for 130 yards, according to game statistics.
New England answered immediately on the final play before intermission. Maye lofted a pass to running back Rhamondre Stevenson, who caught the ball near midfield and eluded multiple defenders for a 48-yard touchdown as time expired, trimming Chicago’s lead to 20-14.
Chicago quickly regained control on the opening drive of the third quarter when tight end Colston Loveland caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Williams. New England responded on its ensuing possession with a 30-yard touchdown strike from Maye to Eli Raridon.
Late kicks seal the outcome
After Santos missed a 53-yard field goal attempt earlier in the fourth quarter, the veteran kicker converted a franchise-record-tying 58-yard field goal with 1:34 remaining to establish a 30-21 cushion. Maye drove the Patriots downfield to set up a 47-yard field goal by Andy Borregales with 37 seconds left, but Chicago recovered the ensuing onside kick to secure the win.
The victory improved Chicago to 5-2 on the season, while New England fell to 4-3 and saw its three-game winning streak snapped.
Both teams suffered injuries during the second half. Chicago tight end Cole Kmet hurt his right knee late in the fourth quarter and was carted off, USA TODAY Sports reported, while Bears cornerback Malik Muhammad departed with a toe injury. For the Patriots, defensive tackle Christian Barmore exited late in the game, and safety Kevin Byard was evaluated by medical personnel before returning.
The Bears next travel to face the Seattle Seahawks for a Monday night matchup on Nov. 2, while the Patriots prepare for their upcoming slate looking to rebound from the road defeat.
