Bears beat Patriots 30-24 as Caleb Williams throws for 308 yards

The Chicago Bears beat the New England Patriots 30-24 on Thursday Night Football at Soldier Field on October 22, 2026 (early Friday in Pakistan). Quarterback Caleb Williams, back from a hamstring injury, threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns as Chicago moved to 5-2. New England's late comeback ended when the Bears recovered an onside kick with 42 seconds left.

Final score and key stats

	Chicago Bears	New England Patriots
Final score	30	24
Half-time	20	14
Quarterback	Caleb Williams: 22/33, 308 yds, 2 TD	Drake Maye: 24/31, 321 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT; 1 rushing TD
Top receiver	Luther Burden III: 4 catches, 130 yds, 1 TD	A.J. Brown: 3 catches, 48 yds
Top rusher	D'Andre Swift: 78 yds, 1 TD	Drake Maye: 26 yds, 1 TD
Record after game	5-2	4-3 (1-3 on the road)

How the game went

Chicago started fast. Burden's 58-yard catch set up a 4-yard touchdown run by Swift, and Burden later scored on a 24-yard pass to put the Bears 20-7 ahead. Williams was especially sharp from a clean pocket, completing 19 of 22 passes for 264 yards and both touchdowns in those plays.

The key moment came just before half-time. With New England driving, Maye threw an interception in the end zone to linebacker D'Marco Jackson with 3:32 left in the half. The Patriots did hit back on the final play of the half, when running back Rhamondre Stevenson turned a short pass into a 48-yard touchdown to cut the gap to 20-14.

In the second half Maye ran in a touchdown and found tight end Eli Raridon for another, while tight end Colston Loveland caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Williams for Chicago. Loveland finished with seven catches for 69 yards.

With 1:34 left, Cairo Santos, who had missed from 53 yards earlier, kicked a 58-yard field goal, the longest of his career and the third-longest in Soldier Field history, to make it 30-21. New England answered with a 47-yard field goal by Andy Borregales with 42 seconds to go, but wide receiver Rome Odunze recovered the onside kick and Chicago ran out the clock.

Background

The Bears are building on their revival under head coach Ben Johnson, and Williams' return from injury was the big question before kick-off. The Patriots, coached by Mike Vrabel, came in at 4-2 behind quarterback Maye, but have struggled on the road. They missed 14 tackles on Thursday and now have a turnover margin of -7 this season. A.J. Brown, a week removed from an ankle injury, was held quiet, and New England's wide receivers combined for just 87 yards.

Reactions and what it means

The win keeps Chicago close to the unbeaten Minnesota Vikings in the NFC North race. Burden, who had all 130 of his yards in the first half, looks like a growing weapon alongside Odunze. For New England, the loss is a reminder that a top-tier passing night from Maye is not enough when turnovers and missed tackles pile up.

What happens next

Both teams get extra rest after playing on Thursday and return in Week 8 of the NFL season. The rest of Week 7 is played on Sunday, October 25, and Monday, October 26 (US time). Fans in Pakistan and South Asia can follow NFL games through the league's own streaming service and international broadcast partners.