Bears Beat Falcons 31-23 as Williams Returns and Daniels Is Carted Off

The Chicago Bears beat the Atlanta Falcons 31-23 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday. Caleb Williams returned from a hamstring injury to complete 30 of 36 passes for 305 yards and a touchdown, and Chicago built a 31-7 lead early in the fourth quarter before Atlanta scored 16 straight points to make the finish tense.

The game stopped for several minutes in the third quarter. Falcons rookie linebacker Kendal Daniels was carted off with a neck injury, taken to hospital, and reported by the team to be alert with movement in all his limbs.

Williams settles in fast

Williams had missed three games after he was hurt on September 20. He showed little rust. He threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Colston Loveland for a 7-0 lead, and D'Andre Swift ran in from 4 yards on Chicago's second possession to make it 14-0.

Atlanta got back into it in the second quarter. Michael Penix Jr. hit Drake London for 39 yards, then found Jahan Dotson for a 13-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 14-7. A muffed punt late in the half gave Chicago the ball at the Atlanta 10, and the Bears scored their third touchdown to lead 21-7 at halftime. Atlanta had held the ball for less than eight minutes in the first half.

Chicago pushed the lead out after the break. Roschon Johnson scored on a 4-yard run late in the third quarter for 28-7. Rookie Zachariah Branch then lost his second fumble of the game on the kickoff return, and Cairo Santos kicked a 50-yard field goal to make it 31-7.

Daniels injury stops the game

Daniels was hurt with 8:48 left in the third quarter, with Chicago leading 21-7. He dived in to tackle Loveland after a Williams completion and his head appeared to collide with the tight end's left leg near the knee. Medical staff stabilized his neck and body and loaded him onto a cart on a gurney. Players and coaches gathered around him. On his way off the field, Daniels made a fist with his left hand.

The Falcons said Daniels was alert and had movement in all his extremities, and that he was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for further evaluation. Daniels, a fourth-round draft pick out of Oklahoma, has started since Week 1 and was calling the defense with Divine Deablo out with an arm injury. Josh Woods took over those duties after Daniels left.

Atlanta rallies, Gordon closes it

Penix gave Atlanta a chance. He threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Pitts with 9:34 left, and a two-point pass to Branch cut the lead to 31-15. After a Johnson fumble, Penix hit Pitts again from 5 yards and found London for the two-point conversion to make it 31-23.

Atlanta got the ball back once more, but Kyler Gordon sacked Penix for the third time in the game and forced a fumble that Devin Bush recovered. Chicago ran out the clock from there.

Penix finished 19 of 33 for 225 yards and three touchdowns for Atlanta, now 2-4 after a second straight loss. Swift ran for two touchdowns for Chicago, now 4-2. The Bears host New England on Thursday night. The Falcons stay home to play San Francisco on October 25.