By Townhall Chicago News Staff
The Chicago Bears defeated the Atlanta Falcons 31-23 on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, improving to 4-2 behind a dominant performance from quarterback Caleb Williams in his return from a three-game absence.
Williams, who missed three games with a hamstring injury, completed 30 of 36 passes for 305 yards with one touchdown, no turnovers and a 111.2 passer rating. He engineered touchdown drives on the team’s first two possessions, completing his first 10 passes for 122 yards and one score to stake the Bears to a 14-0 lead they never relinquished, according to the team’s game recap.
“I’m really proud of our guys and how they responded,” Bears coach Ben Johnson said after the game, according to the team’s website. “I’m not surprised whatsoever. It’s kind of been the history of those guys in that locker room.”
The Bears led 31-7 early in the fourth quarter before the Falcons mounted a late rally, scoring two touchdowns with two-point conversions in a 3:53 span to close within 31-23 with 5:41 remaining.
Cornerback Kyler Gordon, making his season debut after being activated from the physically unable to perform list, preserved the victory with his third sack of the game and second strip-sack. Linebacker Devin Bush recovered the fumble at the Atlanta 28-yard line with 2:54 remaining.
“I thought our identity and play style showed up in all three phases: swarming on defense, finishing on offense,” Johnson said, according to the game recap. “We had a couple new faces bounce back for us between Kyler on defense and Caleb on offense. They gave us big sparks.”
The Bears took a 7-0 lead on their opening possession on Williams’ 14-yard touchdown pass to tight end Colston Loveland. Williams escaped pressure, rolled right and threaded the ball between two defenders.
“They did a good job, and I was able to get out and escape, and Colston and I locked eyes and I just gave my guy a shot,” Williams said, according to the team’s website.
A brilliantly designed hook-and-ladder play sustained the opening drive. On third-and-11 from the Atlanta 42, Williams threw to receiver Rome Odunze, who lateraled to running back Roschon Johnson for a 12-yard gain.
D’Andre Swift’s 4-yard touchdown run on the next possession extended the lead to 14-0. After special teams recovered a muffed punt at the Falcons’ 10-yard line, Swift scored again to push the advantage to 21-7 at halftime.
Roschon Johnson added a 4-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter. Zavier Scott forced a fumble on a kickoff return, and kicker Cairo Santos converted the takeaway into a 50-yard field goal to make it 31-7.
Roschon Johnson led the Bears in rushing with 51 yards and one touchdown on 13 carries. Swift added 44 yards and two touchdowns on 16 attempts. Luther Burden III paced the receiving corps with eight catches for 95 yards. Loveland contributed six receptions for 65 yards and one score.
With a seemingly safe lead and a Thursday night home game against the Patriots ahead, the Bears rested most of their starters on defense late in the fourth quarter. The Falcons capitalized with consecutive scoring drives.
“You’re trying to thread the needle a little bit,” Johnson said, according to the recap. “If we didn’t have the Thursday night game, I don’t know that we’d do things like we did.”
The win came one week after a 31-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers. The Bears host the New England Patriots on Thursday night at Soldier Field.
