Soldier Field showed up in mustaches, and the Bears gave them a reason to keep them on. Chicago held off the New England Patriots 30-24 on Thursday night, moving to 5-2 with their fourth win in five games, according to the Bears' official recap. New England falls to 4-3.
A Night for Ditka
The night had more riding on it than the standings. ABC7 Chicago reported it was the Bears' first home game since the death of Mike Ditka at 86. Fans got free Ditka mustaches, and chairman George McCaskey wore a No. 89 jersey. The opponent made it hit harder: Ditka's Bears beat the Patriots in Super Bowl XX. ABC7 said get-in tickets were going for around $800.
Burden Takes Over the First Half
Luther Burden III did all his damage before halftime: four catches for 130 yards and a touchdown, per the Bears. His 58-yard catch-and-run set up D'Andre Swift's 4-yard touchdown for a 10-0 lead. Later he turned a screen pass into a 24-yard score with 14 seconds left in the half, weaving through a wall of blockers.
"He saw a little crease and hit the jets," coach Ben Johnson said, according to the team.
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Williams waved off the credit. "I didn't do anything," he said, per the Bears, adding that he "just threw a good ball" and the blockers did the rest.
New England answered right before the break. On the last play of the half, Drake Maye dumped a pass to Rhamondre Stevenson, who went 48 yards for a touchdown that made it 20-14.
Maye Keeps It Close
Chicago opened the second half with a 72-yard drive that ended on Williams' 12-yard touchdown to Colston Loveland, who powered through three defenders, according to the recap. Maye hit tight end Eli Raridon for a 30-yard score to make it 27-21 late in the third quarter. He finished 24 of 31 for 321 yards with two touchdowns and one interception, an interception D'Marco Jackson made in the end zone.
Williams, in his second game back from a hamstring injury, threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns. Rome Odunze had three 21-yard catches on two key fourth-quarter drives, and Swift led all rushers with 78 yards on 22 carries.
Santos Gets His Redemption
Cairo Santos clanged a 53-yard try off the upright in the fourth quarter. Then a sack pushed the Bears back to the New England 40, and Santos boomed a career-long 58-yarder to make it 30-21 with 1:34 left.
"I told HT, 'I want it,'" Santos said of his talk with special teams coordinator Richard Hightower, per the Bears.
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Andy Borregales hit a 47-yard field goal with 37 seconds left to make it 30-24, but Odunze recovered the onside kick to end it.
"Three hundred yards and a couple touchdowns is a good night," Johnson said of his quarterback.
The win came with a cost. Tight end Cole Kmet was carted off with a knee injury, and Johnson said, "I don't think it looked very good," per the team.
