Santos' three field goals power Chicago past New England, 30-24, at Soldier Field

Nine points from the right foot of Cairo Santos, and the entire afternoon at Soldier Field was settled by six. Chicago's kicker made three field goals, three different Bears found the end zone, and the home team never trailed in a 30-24 win over the New England Patriots.

The home side set the terms immediately. Santos opened the scoring with a first-quarter field goal, D'Andre Swift added a touchdown, and Chicago led 10-0 after the opening period. New England's best stretch followed — a fourteen-point second quarter. Drake Maye scored, Santos replied in kind, Luther Burden III reached the end zone, and Rhamondre Stevenson gave the visitors life before the break: 20-14 at halftime. They never got closer than six the rest of the way.

The third quarter traded touchdowns — Colston Loveland for Chicago, Eli Raridon for New England — in a 7-7 frame that sent the Bears into the fourth up 27-21. There the kickers went shot for shot: Santos made it 30-21, Andy Borregales answered with one of his own, and 30-24 stood as the final score at the final whistle.

Santos was the steady hand throughout, and his nine points kept Chicago in front while Swift, Burden III and Loveland handled the touchdowns. New England answered with four different scorers of its own — Maye, Stevenson, Raridon and Borregales — and still never held a lead at any point of the game.

New England scored in three straight quarters and spent the whole afternoon chasing anyway. Chicago scored in all four and never once gave the math a chance to turn.