D’Onta Foreman ran for a go-ahead touchdown as the Chicago Bears rallied for a 16-13 victory over the Carolina Panthers in a battle of NFL division stragglers on Thursday.
Foreman’s four-yard TD run put the Bears up 16-10 in the third quarter and they led by three with 1:40 to play when Panthers kicker Eddy Pineiro came up short on a 59-yard field-goal attempt to effectively seal a Chicago win.
At 3-7, the Bears are still bottom of the NFC North division, which is headed by the 6-2 Detroit Lions.
But the victory over Carolina had implications beyond the game since the Bears own the Panthers’ top pick in next year’s NFL draft thanks to a trade in the offseason that allowed the Panthers to select quarterback Bryce Young with the top pick in this year’s draft, and sent wide receiver DJ Moore to the Bears.
Now 1-8, the Panthers are tied for the worst record in the league with the Arizona Cardinals, who play the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
With quarterback Justin Fields again sidelined with a dislocated right thumb, rookie Tyson Bagent made his fourth straight start for the Bears.
He threw for 162 yards with no turnovers — atoning for a four-turnover performance against New Orleans on Sunday — and gained his second win as a starter.
Carolina had seized an early advantage on Ihmir Smith-Marsette’s 79-yard punt return for a touchdown.
They led 10-9 at halftime, the Bears’ points in the opening half all coming from three field goals by Cairo Santos.
Young had another tough night. He was sacked three times and threw three incompletions on the Panthers’ futile final drive.