In a historic and wildly entertaining matchup in Week 9, the Chicago Bears stunned the Cincinnati Bengals by winning 47-42, finally ending a 17-year run of defeats in games where they gave up 42 or more points. Before Sunday, the Bears were 0-40 in such contests, their last victory coming against the Minnesota Vikings, 48-41, at Soldier Field on October 19, 2008 (h/t Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune).
The contest was an offensive showcase from start to finish, featuring nine touchdowns, seven lead changes, and a combined 1,071 yards of total offense. Caleb Williams led the Chicago aerial attack, completing 20 of 34 passes for 280 yards, three touchdowns, and no turnovers, finishing with a 114.8 passer rating while being sacked only twice. The quarterback also contributed to multiple trick plays, including a fourth-and-goal flip to Rome Odunze that eventually resulted in a touchdown for DJ Moore.
Running back Kyle Monangai, starting in place of the injured D’Andre Swift, shone in his first career start, rushing for 176 yards on 26 carries with a long run of 39 yards. Monangai’s strong first-half play, including surpassing 100 rushing yards early, set the pace for the Bears’ high-flying offense.
Rookie tight end Colston Loveland emerged as the hero of the evening, catching six passes for 118 yards and scoring both his first NFL touchdown and a game-winning 58-yard score with just 17 seconds left.
Facing a 42-41 deficit after Cincinnati scored 15 points in 1 minute 49 seconds, including a successful onside kick recovery, Loveland broke multiple tackles on a seam route from Williams to claim the win. His earlier 5-yard touchdown in the third quarter had given Chicago a 24-20 lead.
While giving up 42 points, the Bears’ defense made notable interventions. Austin Booker, making his season debut, forced a crucial strip sack that set up a field goal. Tremaine Edmunds picked off Joe Flacco at the Chicago 4-yard line late in the game, but the replay ruled the touchdown null. The final takeaway came from Nahshon Wright, who intercepted Flacco’s desperation throw with four seconds remaining.
The Bears' special teams and defensive errors nearly cost them the game, allowing the Bengals to recover an onside kick and score in the final minutes. The victory improved Chicago’s record to 5-3 on the season, as the Bears have now won five of their last six games after a 0-2 start.
