CHICAGO (AP) — Caleb Williams threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns, and the Chicago Bears cooled off Drake Maye and the New England Patriots with a 30-24 win on Thursday night.
Williams was 22 of 33 passing in his second game back after being sidelined by a right hamstring injury. He became the first Bears quarterback to throw for more than 300 yards in consecutive games since Mitch Trubisky had a three-game run in 2018.
Williams outdueled Maye in
their second meeting since the longtime friends were part of the 2024 NFL draft. Williams went No. 1 to Chicago, and Maye was selected by New England at No. 3.
Luther Burden had four catches for 130 yards for Chicago (5-2), and Colston Loveland had a 12-yard touchdown reception. Cairo Santos kicked a 58-yard field goal with 1:34 left, a career long and matching the franchise record, after he missed a 53-yard attempt earlier in the final quarter.
Maye was 24 for 31 for 321 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw a costly interception in the end zone in the first half.
New England (4-3) had won three consecutive games behind Maye, who threw 10 TD passes and one interception during the win streak.
Rhamondre Stevenson had five catches for 93 yards and a touchdown for the Patriots. Eli Raridon had a 30-yard TD catch in the third quarter.
After Santos' long field goal, Maye drove New England into range for Andy Borregales’ 47-yarder with 37 seconds to go. But Chicago recovered the ensuing onside kick.
It was Chicago’s first home game since Mike Ditka died on Oct. 9. The Bears saluted the Hall of Fame tight end and longtime coach with a pregame moment of silence, and they also handed out fake mustaches to the crowd of 60,520 at Soldier Field.
Ditka’s No. 89 jersey dotted the stands, and fans also donned Bears sweaters in a callback to what Ditka wore on the sideline as a 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.
Patriots: CB Christian Gonzalez played after being listed as questionable because of an illness. ... S Kevin Byard departed after he was checked out by trainers with 9:44 left in first half. He later returned. ... DT Christian Barmore departed late in the game.
Bears: CB Malik Muhammad left in the third quarter with a toe injury. ... TE Cole Kmet hurt his right knee on a reception with 5:34 left.
Patriots: At Miami on Nov. 1.
Bears: At Seattle for a Monday night game on Nov. 2.
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