Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye combined for over 600 yards and five touchdowns on October 22, 2026, before Cairo Santos hit a 58-yard field goal to seal a 30-24 victory.
Caleb Williams led the Chicago Bears to a 30-24 win over the New England Patriots at Soldier Field on October 22, 2026. Both quarterbacks were 2024 first-round draft selections. They met in a tightly contested interconference battle on a chilly night.
Williams completed 22 of 33 passes for 308 yards and two touchdowns. Drake Maye countered with 321 yards and two passing scores. Both teams entered the matchup with identical 4-2 records.
RHAMONDRE STEVENSON‼️📺 Prime Video pic.twitter.com/heXDiTFnzW
Chicago maintained composure down the stretch. They improved to 5-2.
Williams and Burden Lead Early Chicago Surge
Nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon sacked Maye on fourth down during New England’s opening possession to establish early momentum for the Bears. Williams capitalized immediately. He fired a completion to Luther Burden III.
@DrakeMaye2 keeping the play alive.📺 Prime Video pic.twitter.com/M7msELIr2S
That play set up a 43-yard Cairo Santos field goal for the game’s first points.
Burden racked up four receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown in the opening half. The Patriots secondary could not contain him. In the second quarter, he made a 58-yard catch-and-run that exposed blown coverages in New England’s defensive secondary.
Drake Maye DIME to Eli Raridon 🪙📺 Prime Video pic.twitter.com/ajUvbcD8Oo
This spark led to a scoring drive that ended with a 4-yard touchdown run by D’Andre Swift. The Bears’ defense featured Charles Woods, Craig Woodson, and Kevin Byard among its defensive linemen, edge rushers, linebackers, cornerbacks, and safeties.
Tight end Colston Loveland hauled in a team-high seven catches for 69 yards and a touchdown. Chicago held a comfortable 20-7 advantage before defensive lapses allowed New England back into the contest.
.@CALEBcsw with a laser to @RomeOdunze 🎯📺: Prime Video pic.twitter.com/eHsLg4tSdN
Maye and Stevenson Keep Patriots Competitive
Maye used off-script playmaking and mobility to keep the Patriots competitive. He struggled to establish a consistent ground game and missed injured offensive linemen.
Maye has posted a 12:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio over his previous four outings. This follows an early-season turnover bug where he committed nine turnovers during a 2-2 start.
Running back Rhamondre Stevenson provided the half’s most stunning sequence on the final play before intermission. The Chicago secondary was caught in prevent defense. Stevenson took a short dump-off pass and zig-zagged through defenders for a 48-yard touchdown.
The deficit narrowed to 20-14. Stevenson anchored the backfield rotation. Third-back Corey Kiner earned six offensive snaps for four carries and 13 yards, out-touching second-year running back TreVeyon Henderson.
BURDEN BOMB 💣📺: Prime pic.twitter.com/t2C5v9ZbOJ
You find out what you’re made of. And I know we got the right guys in this locker room, that they can handle anything that’s thrown their way. They have a lot of belief in each other, too. I think that’s a really big part of it — they know that even when things get a little bit funky or haywire, that we can right the ship and get it going back the right direction real quick.
Ben Johnson, Bears Head Coach
Maye connected with tight end Eli Raridon on a 30-yard touchdown pass in the second half to keep New England within striking distance. Brown added three catches for 48 yards in his second game back from an ankle injury.
Santos Hits Long Field Goal For Win
Christian Barmore sacked Williams for a 10-yard loss late in the fourth quarter. The Bears clung to a 27-21 lead. Head coach Ben Johnson faced a difficult fourth-down decision.
Ben Johnson originally called for a punt before the 58-yard field goal. The injury timeout gave them time to talk about it. Johnson asked if Cairo wanted it on the headset and Cairo said he could hear the conversation. Cairo said: “I want it.” pic.twitter.com/OjjQfv1rgW
Moments earlier, Santos had bounced a 53-yard field-goal attempt off the right upright. Johnson did not punt to pin New England deep. Instead, he asked his kicker if he could handle a 58-yard try.
Just because he missed doesn’t mean we won’t go back to him… He has ice in his veins.
Ben Johnson, Bears Head Coach
Santos nailed the kick down the middle with 1:34 remaining. The lead extended to 30-21. This conversion forced New England into a desperate two-score requirement.
Bears receiving stats at halfLuther Burden III 4 rec | 130 yds | 1 TDCole Kmet 2 rec | 20 yds | 0 TDColston Loveland 1 rec | 11 yds | 0 TDRome Odunze 1 rec | 6 yds | 0 TDKalif Raymond 0 rec | 0 yds | 0 TDD'Andre Swift… pic.twitter.com/qToneBEm7n
Andy Borregales kicked a quick response field goal to pull the Patriots within 30-24. Rome Odunze secured the ensuing onside kick attempt. The Bears ran out the clock to secure the victory.
The 4-3 Patriots enter a mini-bye week following the interconference defeat. They prepare for a Week 8 AFC East divisional matchup against the Miami Dolphins.
A career-long 58-yard FG from Bears kicker Cairo Santos — and a gutsy decision from HC Ben Johnson. pic.twitter.com/wDNqEVwzxV
More on Cairo Santos
Cairo Santos nails the 58-yard field goal which is a career long. It's also ties Robbie Gould's franchise record for longest field goal. #Bears
Cairo Santos told us that the #Bears were talking about going to punt before his field goal attempt. But the injury allowed them some extra time. Ben then asked Richard Hightower who was standing next to Cairo “Does he want it?” Cairo responded: “I want it.” He delivered.
