Caleb Williams threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns as the Chicago Bears cooled off Drake Maye and the New England Patriots with a 30-24 victory at Soldier Field on Thursday night.
It was the second meeting between the young quarterbacks since they were part of the 2024 NFL draft. Maye, who was selected by New England at No 3, directed the Patriots to a 19-3 victory over Williams and the Bears when the longtime friends were rookies.
But Williams, the No 1 overall pick, leaned on Luther Burden and Colston Loveland while outlasting Maye and the Patriots in the rematch. Williams connected on 22 of 33 passes in his second game back after being sidelined by a hamstring injury.
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The win moves the Bears to 5-2, keeping the pressure on NFC North leaders Minnesota, while the Patriots fall to 4-3.
Burden led Chicago with four catches for 130 yards, while Loveland added a 12-yard touchdown reception. Cairo Santos then struck a 58-yard field goal with 1:34 remaining, matching the franchise record and setting a new career best after missing a 53-yard attempt earlier in the fourth quarter.
Williams became the first Bears quarterback to throw for more than 300 yards in consecutive games since Mitch Trubisky managed the feat in three straight games in 2018.
Maye completed 24 of 31 passes for 321 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for a seven-yard score to get New England on the board with 11:33 remaining in the first half.
However, the Patriots quarterback was intercepted in the end zone by Bears linebacker D'Marco Jackson late in the second quarter, with rookie tight end Eli Raridon the intended target.
After Santos' long field goal, Maye drove New England into range for Andy Borregales' 47-yarder with 37 seconds to go, before Chicago recovered the ensuing onside kick.
Rhamondre Stevenson had five catches for 93 yards and a touchdown for the Patriots. Raridon had a 30-yard TD catch in the third quarter.
It was Chicago's first home game since Bears legend Mike Ditka died on October 9. The team paid tribute to the Hall of Fame tight end and longtime coach with a pregame moment of silence, while fans among the 60,520 crowd at Soldier Field were handed fake moustaches in his honour.
Ditka's No 89 jersey was dotted throughout the stands, while fans also wore Bears sweaters in a nod to the sideline attire he sported as head coach.
Chicago opened a 20-7 lead on Burden's 24-yard touchdown with 14 seconds left in the first half. Burden got the ball on a screen on third-and-17, and Loveland, Kalif Raymond and Darnell Wright helped clear the way for his second TD reception of the season.
Set to receive the second-half kickoff, the Bears were in position to pull away. But the Patriots responded with Stevenson's 48-yard touchdown reception on the final play of the period.
Stevenson slipped out of the backfield and Maye lobbed the ball over the head of Bears safety Cam Lewis. Stevenson ran away from Lewis and got a downfield block from DeMario Douglas before cutting past Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson on his way to the end zone.
Williams: These nights are awesome
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams:
"These nights are awesome.
"You play against another good team on a primetime game in a short week, these games are awesome because you get to see who you are as a team.
"That's who we are. We're a smashmouth football team, an innovative team. And when things happen and things don't go our way and the water is rocky, we stay steady."
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