Caleb Williams is back. The same goes for the Chicago Bears’ explosive offense.
The Bears quarterback returned Sunday for his first appearance since suffering a hamstring strain in Week 2. He got off to the hottest start of his career and led Chicago to a 31-23 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
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The Bears opened a 31-7 lead in Atlanta and appeared well on their way to a blowout. They ended up needing that cushion to fend off a late Falcons rally that cut the Bears’ lead to one possession.
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Williams got off to a hot start and completed his first 12 passes of the game. The completion streak was the longest of his career to start a game and quickly allayed any fears that he would be limited in any way by his hamstring injury.
Caleb Williams looked great in his return from a hamstring injury.
(Kevin C. Cox via Getty Images)
Williams led the Bears to a touchdown on each of their first two possessions. And his first touchdown on his return to the game was sensational. With the Bears on second-and-13 at the Atlanta 14-yard line, Williams escaped the pass rush and rolled out to his right.
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He pushed his body back toward tight end Colston Loveland, who was surrounded by two defenders. But Loveland was the only player to get his hands on the ball, and he returned it for a touchdown.
It’s the type of high-risk, high-reward play that has become the basis of Williams’ second 2025 season. And it sure brought a smile to Bears fans who needed it after last week’s 31-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
From there, Williams continued his exceptional play. He finished Sunday completing 30 of 36 passes for 305 yards with 1 touchdown and no turnovers. And he helped ice the game by leading a time-consuming drive after Atlanta scored 16 straight points to cut Chicago’s lead to 31-23.
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The Bears managed to kneel in the red zone to secure the victory.
Important win to keep pace with NFC North competition
With the win, the Bears improve to 4-2 to remain competitive in the NFC North race. And the initial panic that Williams had suffered a potentially devastating injury in Week 2 has come full circle. Williams is back and he looks good.
As a team, the Bears outscored the Falcons 368 to 257. While Chicago’s yardage total wasn’t mind-blowing, the Bears dominated the ball with a 40:08 to 19:52 advantage in time of possession.
Luther Burden III had his best game of the season with eight catches for 95 yards. Loveland also had its best game of the season, totaling 6 catches for 65 yards and 1 touchdown.
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This was an important win for Chicago, with tough games ahead against last season’s Super Bowl participants, the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. They remain in second place in the NFC North behind the 5-0 Minnesota Vikings, who are enjoying a bye week. The 3-2 Detroit Lions are also on a bye week, while the 3-2 Packers will face the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night.
The Falcons, meanwhile, fall to 2-4 and 0-3 at home in quarterback Michael Penix Jr.’s return from a rib injury suffered late in Week 5.
Teddy Ricketson
Chicago kept the ball on the ground and chewed up the rest of the time in this one.
Running back Roschon Johnson broke off an eight-yard run late, but as he ran toward the end zone, he came down to run the clock.
Chicago held on for a 31-23 win over Atlanta during the return of Caleb Williams.
Teddy Ricketson
Chicago’s defense swarmed Penix with a pass rush.
Atlanta’s quarterback was sacked for a loss of 8 and fumbled. The Bears defense recovered.
Teddy Ricketson
After Atlanta’s final TD drive, Chicago gets the ball.
The Bears defense forced a three and out. The Falcons will have about 3 1/2 minutes to find the end zone and convert another two-point conversion.
Teddy Ricketson
Chicago had a 16-point lead and simply needed to take as much time as possible. Backup running back Roschon Johnson and the Falcons recovered.
Atlanta then moved down the field and Kyle Pitts scored his second touchdown of the day five plays later.
Penix hit Drake London for the two-point conversion.
All of a sudden, Atlanta trails by 8 with 5:41 to play.
Teddy Ricketson
The Falcons still have life.
Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. found Kyle Pitts for the 10-yard score. Atlanta then attempted a two-point conversion, and it succeeded.
The Falcons trail the Bears 31-15 with 9:34 left.
Teddy Ricketson
The Falcons faced fourth-and-10 at their own 34-yard line, 31-7. Michael Penix hit Zachariah Branch for a five, and the Falcons were called for an offensive hold.
The penalty was disallowed and Chicago took over on Atlanta’s side with 14:32 left and down 24.
Teddy Ricketson
Chicago took over in excellent field position after recovering an Atlanta fumble. The Bears offense just ran out of time and ended with a 50-yard field goal from Cairo Santos.
Chicago leads 31-7 early in the fourth quarter.
Teddy Ricketson
Chicago extends its lead to 21 on a short touchdown run by Roschon Johnson.
With the injury delay, there is still 1:48 left in the third quarter.
Teddy Ricketson
Bijan Robinson had four total yards on two carries. Michael Penix was sacked and fumbled the ball.
The Falcons were able to recover it, but facing fourth-and-13 on their 3, they had to punt.
Chicago leads 21-7 with 4:38 left in the third quarter.
Teddy Ricketson
After a lengthy delay in treating the Falcons’ injured defensive end, Chicago’s practice collapsed.
It looked like the Bears had a big play from Colston Loveland, but he was whistled for offensive pass interference. The play was a fourth down attempt, but after the extra yard was added, Chicago elected to punt.
The Bears lead 21-7 with 6:07 left.
Teddy Ricketson
There was a serious injury during the Bears-Falcons game. Kendal Daniels allegedly took a knee to the helmet.
Daniels was ruled out with a neck injury.
Teddy Ricketson
The Falcons benefited from another series of downs after a brutal penalty on the kicker.
There was nothing Atlanta could do about it. Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski watched his team face fourth-and-3, 21-7, at the Bears’ 28-yard line.
Stefanski elected to go for it, but Michael Penix had a check against Drake London and Atlanta turned the ball over.
Teddy Ricketson
It looked like Atlanta was going to start the second half with a punt. Chicxago was then called for roughing the kicker during the punt attempt and got 15 yards, which was enough for a first down.
Teddy Ricketson
Atlanta only made four official plays, but penalties forced the Falcons into a 3rd-and-20 situation. A 17-yard run by Bijan Robinson failed to get another set of downs, and Atlanta put the Bears away just before halftime.
Chicago did nothing with the extra possession and simply took the game to halftime.
Teddy Ricketson
The Bears offense did not waste the opportunity given to them by the Falcons special teams unit by muffling the punt.
Chicago went three plays, the finale being a two-yard touchdown run by D’Andre Swift, his second of the game.
The Bears now lead 21-7 with 1:26 left in the first half.
Teddy Ricketson
It looked like Atlanta was going to get a chance to run a two-minute drill before halftime.
Zachariah Branch fumbled the punt, however, and the Bears were able to recover it at the 10-yard line.
Teddy Ricketson
Atlanta’s offense finally scored some points. After Drake London’s huge gain set up the offense, Michael Penix Jr. hit Jahan Dotson, who made an impressive contested catch for the 13-yard score.
The Falcons now lead 14-7 with 5:45 left in the first half.
Teddy Ricketson
On the very first play after Chicago’s missed field goal, Penix Jr. hit Drake London for a big 39-yard gain to get into the red zone.
Teddy Ricketson
Chicago scored back-to-back touchdowns to start the game, but has now had back-to-back drives without punts.
The Bears’ final drive lasted five plays, and the offense mustered just 18 yards before attempting a 56-yard field goal. Cairo Santos’ attempt went wide to the left.
Teddy Ricketson
Well, I spoke too soon. Chicago’s defense stepped up.
After Robinson’s big gain, Michael Penix had a failure, a six-yard completion to Kyle Pitts, and then Bijan Robinson lost a yard.
Atlanta head coach Kevin Stefanski opted to take a chance on fourth and five, but Penix’s pass was knocked back to the line for a turnover on downs.
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