Bears vs. Panthers live game updates: The streak is dead. Chicago upends Carolina
Carolina’s win streak is done.
The Chicago Bears improved to 5-1 and used its defense to slow the Carolina Panthers in a 23-16 win Sunday at Bank of America Stadium. The Panthers (3-3) saw their three-game win streak end in a series of dropped passes, three turnovers and an inability to score in the red zone.
Despite their struggles, the Panthers had a chance for a final heroic drive. Carolina got the ball at its 20 with 92 seconds to play.
The Bears’ front four pressured Teddy Bridgewater on the first play of the drive. Bridgewater threw a pass intended for DJ Moore. But it was easily intercepted by DeAndre Houston-Carson, who undercut the route and got his first NFL interception.
Chicago is 5-1 for the first time in eight years.
Panthers miss another big chance
Carolina was driving to potentially tie the game and reached the Chicago 38 with two minutes to go. On fourth down, DJ Moore nearly made a one-handed catch off a Teddy Bridgewater pass at the Bears 17, but lost the ball as he was coming down. Moore was running towards the sideline and had to pivot and adjust to the ball which was thrown inside.
But on the ensuing possession, the Bears only ran off 15 seconds. Carolina got the ball back at its 20, down 23-16, with 92 seconds to play.
Slye FG: Bears 23, Panthers 16
The Panthers, down 10 points, started the drive with a 38-yard completion from Teddy Bridgewater to DJ Moore. That got Carolina to the Bears’ 27. But the Panthers’ next two plays were good for minus 2 yards. Joey Syle made a 48-yard field goal with 7:46 to play.
Santos FG: Bears 23, Panthers 13
Cairo Santos made a 31-yard field goal with 9:19 left to give the Bears a 23-13 lead on Chicago’s first drive after the Panthers finally scored a touchdown.
It was Santos’ third field goal of the game.
Davis TD: Bears 20, Panthers 13
On the scoring drive, the Panthers converted two fourth down attempts and got a 33-yard pass interference call. QB Teddy Bridgewater tried to hit DJ Moore in the end zone and Chicago’s Jaylon Johnson was flagged, appearing to trap one of Moore’s arms. On the next play, Mike Davis scored from the 1 with 13:11 to play.
Davis scored in his fourth straight game.
Foles TD: Bears 20, Panthers 6
After Joey Slye missed a long field goal attempt, the Bears got the ball near midfield and quickly drove down the field. Chicago got what looked like a 1-yard score from tailback David Montgomery. Replays showed that Montgomery was down before he crossed the goal line. On the next play, quarterback Nick Foles scored from one yard. It was Chicago’s first third quarter points of the season.
Chicago leads 20-6 with 1:44 left in the third quarter.
Panthers defensive back Juston Burris injured
Carolina defensive back Juston Burris suffered an injury to his ribs late in the third quarter making a tackle near the end zone. Burris was taken to the locker room on a cart. He is questionable to return.
Burris, 27, played college football at N.C. State.
Panthers get a big break, don’t capitalize
Just after the Panthers got an interception from Jeremy Chinn, which probably prevented Chicago from scoring, the Bears Tashaun Gipson intercepted Teddy Bridgewater’s pass, intended for Robby Anderson, and returned it for a touchdown. But cornerback Kyle Fuller was called for pass interference. Fuller appeared to contact Anderson before the ball arrived.
Carolina kept the ball inside its 20. And they eventually drove into Bears territory before Joey Syle missed a 55-yard field goal with 6:13 left in the third quarter.
Bears lead Panthers 13-6 at halftime. Some thoughts ...
The Panthers trail at halftime 13-6, and have struggled to generate points against the Bears. Here are three things that have gone wrong for the Panthers:
Penalties
The Panthers have committed four first-half penalties, including two false starts by starting left tackle Russell Okung. The penalties have pushed the Panthers back five yards both times, and have made offensive drives more difficult than they’ve had to be.
An “illegal use of hands to the face” penalty on the Panthers defense at the end of the first half put the Bears in field goal position. Bears kicker Cairo Santos hit a 55-yard field goal to put the Bears up 13-6 with two seconds left.
Penalties were something the Panthers were hoping to fix in recent weeks, but it has continued to be a hindrance for the Panthers.
Bears winning in coverage
The Panthers have allowed two sacks in the first half, after not allowing any sacks in Weeks 4 and 5. The sacks can be attributed to great coverage, and Bridgewater struggling to find open receivers.
While wide receiver DJ Moore has four catches for 55 yards, Robby Anderson, the Panthers’ leading receiver, has only one catch for five yards on two targets. The other target to Anderson resulted in an interception.
Running back Mike Davis, who entered Sunday’s game second in receptions, doesn’t have a catch or a target.
Red zone offense
The Bears came in Sunday’s game with the No. 1 red zone defense, while the Panthers had the sixth worse red zone offense. It showed Sunday.
The Panthers were 0 for 2 in red zone touchdown opportunities. Both red zone trips resulted in field goals for the Panthers, and instead of the Panthers leading 14-13 at halftime, they trail 13-6.
The Panthers ran 12 plays, not includuing the field goals, inside the Bears’ 20-yard line. Only one went for more than five yards.
Santos FG: Bears 13, Panthers 6
With seven seconds left in the first quarter, Chicago kicker Cairo Santos tried a 55-yard field goal from the left hash. His kick went down the middle. His previous season-long was 47 yards and the kick beat his old career best of 54. The Bears lead by seven at halftime.
Two plays before the kick, Panther defensive back Tre Boston had a chance for a relatively easy leaping two-handed interception that might’ve kept the points off the board.
Slye FG: Bears 10, Panthers 6
With 2:57 left in the first half, the Panthers went for it on fourth and 2 at the Chicago 6. The Panthers drew Chicago offsides and got a first down at the Bears 3.
After two failed run attempts -- from Mike Davis and Teddy Bridgewater -- Bridgewater threw a pass, under pressure, for D.J. Moore, who nearly made a terrific leaping catch.
Joey Slye made a 20-yard field goal, his second of the game. There were two minutes left in the first half.
▪ Panthers receiver Keith Kirkwood, who took a hit to the head during the drive, was evaluated for a concussion. He has been cleared to return.
Santos FG: Bears 10, Panthers 3
After the Panthers Rasul Douglas broke up a third down pass near the Panthers goal line, the Bears got a 31-yard field goal from Cairo Santos. The Bears lead by a touchdown with 8:12 left in the first half.
Slye FG: Bears 7, Panthers 3
Following the Bears score, Carolina drove down the field, led by QB Teddy Bridgewater and RB Mike Davis, who played for Chicago last season. Bridgewater hit DJ Moore with a couple passes and the Panthers flew down the field.
The Carolina drive stalled, however, on three downs inside the Bears’ 10, and Joey Slye hit a 21-yard field goal with 5:07 left in the first quarter. The first quarter ended with the Bears up four.
Kmet TD: Bears 7, Panthers 0
The game didn’t start well for Carolina. After a sack on the Panthers first possession, Carolina QB Teddy Bridgewater attempted a pass from the Carolina 1, looking for Robby Anderson. Jaylon Johnson broke up the pass. Tashaun Gipson Sr. ran under the ball, which was deflected into the air. He returned the ball inside the 10.
On third-and-goal from the nine, Nick Foles hit rookie Cole Kmet over the middle. Foles threw the ball between two Panthers’ defenders for the score. Chicago leads 7-0 with 11 minutes, 40 seconds left in the first quarter.
A statement game for Mike Davis?
We’re underway! Panthers start first-and-10 at their own 10. Panthers running back Mike Davis has starred in place of the injured McCaffrey and is leading the NFL in broken tackles. He has 220 yards rushing (1 touchdown) and 206 yards receiving (2 touchdowns) in four games this season — most of those numbers piling up in his three starts.
Davis was cut by the Chicago Bears last season and picked up by Carolina late in 2019.
The inactive list is out
Biggest news is that the Panthers will be without wide receiver Curtis Samuel this week due to a knee injury. This will be the first game he has missed since early in the 208 season.
Samuel has been a go-to target for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater on third downs and leads the NFL with 11 catches on third down.
The full inactive list can be found here.
Uniform combos for Panthers and Bears
Chicago is wearing white tops with blue pants while Carolina is wearing blue jerseys with white pants and blue socks.
What time do the Panthers and Bears play?
Carolina hosts Chicago at 1 p.m. at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
During the game, there will be early voting happening at the stadium.
What channel is the Panthers-Bears game on?
The game is being broadcast on FOX. It will be the most widely shown game across the country on FOX during the 1 p.m. time slot.
You can stream the game on FoxSports.com by logging in through your cable provider. It’s also available on YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV.
This story was originally published October 18, 2020 at 12:14 PM with the headline "Bears vs. Panthers live game updates: The streak is dead. Chicago upends Carolina."