Caleb Williams threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 65 yards and two extra scores because the Chicago Bears defeated the Carolina Panthers 59-37 on Sunday within the highest-scoring season opener in NFL historical past.
Chicago Bears followers packed Climate Mark Tavern within the South Loop on Sunday, cheering a season-opening victory over the Carolina Panthers that produced a record-setting efficiency and renewed optimism for the 12 months forward.
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Chicago and Carolina scored eight extra factors than the earlier report of 88 set in Tampa Bay’s 48-40 win over New Orleans in 2018.
Coach Ben Johnson’s prolific Bears additionally broke a franchise report for factors in an opener, a mark that had stood since 1948, when Chicago hung 45 factors on Inexperienced Bay at Wrigley Discipline. The 59 factors had been probably the most allowed by the Panthers in crew historical past.
D’Andre Swift, who obtained a $33.75 million contract extension earlier this week, ran for 124 yards on 18 carries with three touchdowns, whereas Kyle Monangai had 100 yards speeding, together with a 61-yard landing burst.
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It was the fourth-most factors in Bears historical past. Probably the most got here of their infamous 73-0 win over Washington within the 1940 NFL title recreation.
Bryce Younger threw for 361 yards and three touchdowns and ran for a rating for Carolina. Jalen Coker had eight catches for a career-high 138 yards and two TDs.
Williams regarded like an MVP candidate, finishing a number of pinpoint passes whereas racking up 196 yards via the air within the first half, together with a wonderfully positioned 22-yard landing strike to Cole Kmet.
He additionally ran for 52 yards and two TDs earlier than the break because the Bears took a 31-24 lead into the locker room.
Chicago’s lead may need been extra had it not been for a questionable choice by Johnson and the play of Younger.
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Yoiung was 11 of 17 for 193 yards and two TDs earlier than the break, the spotlight approaching a 51-yard strike to Coker. Younger additionally scrambled for a 7-yard landing after Johnson determined to run a quarterback sneak on a fourth-and-2 on the Chicago 21 that got here up quick.
It find yourself not mattering. Errors ended the Panthers’ hopes within the second half.
After Chuba Hubbard scored his second TD to tie the sport at 31-all, Carolina defensive finish Derrick Brown was flagged for a late hit on Williams, permitting a drive to proceed. That led to Swift’s 1-yard TD run.
The Panthers went for it on fourth down close to midfield on their subsequent possession however Younger could not join with final 12 months’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Yr, Tetairoa McMillan, on a lofted go down the left sideline.
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Chicago cashed in on the subsequent play as Monangai broke via a gap within the center and raced 61 yards for a 45-31 lead.
On Carolina’s subsequent drive, McMillan fumbled, giving the Bears the ball again. Williams cashed in with a scoring strike to a wide-open Jahdea Walker for a 52-31 lead with 6:27 remaining.
Bears followers have a good time record-setting season opener win over Panthers
The gang at Climate Mark Tavern in Chicago intently adopted a recreation crammed with large performs, tense moments and loads of scoring because the Bears opened the season in dramatic trend.
Followers mentioned their help for the crew has endured via each highs and lows.
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“The Bears followers are fairly supportive and have been via the very best years and the worst years,” Bears fan James Compton mentioned. “I do not learn about being affected person, they’re loyal.”
That loyalty was rewarded with a recreation for the report books.
The Bears scored 31 factors within the first half and completed with 59 factors, probably the most the crew has ever scored in a season opener. With Carolina including 37 factors, the groups mixed for 96 factors, making it the highest-scoring Week 1 recreation in NFL historical past.
The environment contained in the tavern grew electrical as the sport progressed and the Bears pulled away after Carolina stored it shut early.
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Requested to explain the Bears fan base, fan Kendall Rasch mentioned, “Loyal, implausible, and the very best individuals on earth.”
Many followers left the sport feeling inspired in regards to the crew’s prospects this season.
“I really feel prefer it reinvigorated my hope and everybody’s hope for the Bears. I feel that it was simply very electrical and we’ve got a extremely good crew and I feel we’re solely going to be higher this 12 months,” Bears fan Krista Kaleel mentioned.
Followers additionally credited quarterback Caleb Williams and head coach Ben Johnson for the sturdy efficiency.
“Williams carried out I believed fairly properly and I feel they’ve improved their successful recreation. Swift has regarded fairly good right now so I am optimistic myself,” Compton mentioned.
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Following final 12 months’s playoff run, some followers mentioned the season-opening victory has already raised expectations.
“I feel that we will go to the Tremendous Bowl. I feel that we’ve got the chance to go to the Tremendous Bowl, we’ve got a extremely good crew. I feel that the momentum and simply the drive from everybody and the entire followers backing us too is absolutely highly effective,” Kaleel mentioned.
As celebrations continued at Climate Mark Tavern, followers acknowledged there’s a lengthy season forward however mentioned the Bears couldn’t have requested for a greater begin.
Accidents
Bears: LT Braxton Jones left late within the third quarter with an upper-body harm. CB Tyrique Stevenson departed within the third quarter with a shoulder harm.
Panthers: DT Bobby Brown left within the second half with a again harm.
Up subsequent
Bears: Host Minnesota subsequent Sunday.
Panthers: At Atlanta subsequent Sunday.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
