Caleb Williams (16-for-28, 122 yards, no TDs, one INT, seven sacks, 53.0 rating) was far from sharp but was hurt by third-down drops by Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze early. Most of Williams’ early success came on short passes — screens to D’Andre Swift (24 yards) and DJ Moore (18 yards) and a 16-yard pass to Allen off a grounded shotgun snap. Williams’ best throw, a 17-yard touchdown pass to Odunze, was nullified by a holding penalty.
Though rookie Kiran Amegadjie was active, veteran Larry Borom started for injured left tackle Braxton Jones (broken ankle). Jake Curhan started for injured left guard Teven Jenkins (calf). Borom gave up a 14-yard sack to Uchenna Nwosu late in the third quarter when he couldn’t decide which of two rushers to block and got neither. The line did its best work on well-executed screen passes. But a holding penalty against Curhan nullified a 17-yard touchdown pass from Williams to Odunze. Curhan also had a false start on fourth-and-one with 2:14 left but was bailed out by a 15-yard pass from Williams to Moore.
It was a tough start when the Seahawks rushed for 53 yards on seven carries on their opening field-goal drive. But the line was better after that, with Montez Sweat and Byron Cowart sacking Geno Smith and Jacob Martin batting down a pass to force the Seahawks to settle for a 50-yard field goal. Darrell Taylor strip-sacked Smith in the third quarter, but the Seahawks recovered.
Kyler Gordon (six tackles) forced a fumble and recovered it in the third quarter. He returned it 62 yards for an apparent touchdown that would have given the Bears the lead but was ruled down where he recovered the ball. Gordon also broke up a pass on third-and-two that forced a punt. Tyrique Stevenson did a nice job of not reacting when DK Metcalf poked his facemask and head-butted him. Metcalf drew two personal-foul penalties.
Gunner Tyler Scott brought the Soldier Field crowd to its feet with an open-field tackle of Jaelon Darden at the Seahawks’ 5-yard line on a punt return in the first quarter. Tory Taylor had a 46.7-yard net average and put five of seven punts inside the 20. Cairo Santos kicked a 42-yard field goal.
