Luther Burden has 130 receiving yards, setting up three of the Bears' scoring drives with big catches.
His 26-yard reception to the New England 28 set up Cairo Santos’ 43-yard field goal. He nearly scored a 62-yard touchdown two drives later, but Kevin Byard tackled him at the New England 4 to set up D'Andre Swift’s touchdown run. His 22-yard reception set up his own 24-yard touchdown catch on a wide receiver screen with 14 seconds left in the half.
And the Bears lead the Patriots 20-14 at intermission.
It should be worse.
The Patriots got the ball back with 9 seconds left in the half and Drake Maye hit A.J. Brown for 18 yards for the wide receiver's first catch tonight. They called timeout with 3 seconds left, and with the Bears blitzing, Maye dumped the ball off to running back Rhamondre Stevenson, who ran 48 yards to the end zone.
The Bears had outgained the Patriots 211 to 161 before Stevenson's 48-yard catch-and-run.
Caleb Williams has completed 9 of 16 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown. Swift has nine carries for 37 yards and a touchdown.
The Patriots couldn't get out of their own way most of the game.
New England had a first down at the Chicago 15 with 3:32 left in the half when Maye tried to hit tight end Eli Raridon in the end zone. Instead, Bears linebacker D'Marco Jackson stepped in front of Raridon for the interception.
The Bears then got another gift from the Patriots when rookie linebacker Gabe Jacas had an inexplicable roughing-the- passer penalty. He pushed Williams long after the 22-yard pass to Burden.
Maye ended the half 12-of-15 for 169 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also ran for 22 yards and a touchdown on three carries. Stevenson has four catches for 80 yards and a touchdown.