ATLANTA (AP) — Younghoe Koo’s 53-yard field goal gave Atlanta the lead with less than two minutes to play and the Falcons overcame another impressive game from Chicago’s Justin Fields to beat the Bears 27-24 on Sunday.
Fields ran for 85 yards with a touchdown, but the Bears suffered their fourth consecutive loss. Chicago (3-8) has lost six of seven.
Fields’ pass for running back David Montgomery was intercepted by Falcons safety Jaylinn Hawkins with 1:07 remaining. A 26-yard run by rookie Tyler Allgeier allowed the Falcons, who rushed for 149 yards, to wind down the clock.
Marcus Mariota ran and threw for touchdowns for Atlanta (5-6), which pulled within one-half game of NFC-leading Tampa Bay on the Buccaneers’ bye week.
Atlanta running back Cordarrelle Patterson, who played for the Bears for two years before signing with the Falcons in 2021, set the NFL record with his ninth career kickoff return for a touchdown. His 103-yard return in the second quarter broke a tie with Joshua Cribbs and Leon Washington for the mark.
Patterson’s lost fumble after a 19-yard run set up Fields’ 4-yard scoring run that gave Chicago a 17-7 lead. Patterson atoned for the fumble with his record-breaking return.
Fields ran for 178 yards against Miami on Nov. 6 and added 147 in last week’s 31-30 loss to Detroit.
Koo’s go-ahead field goal capped a 12-play drive that included eight straight runs.
Koo’s 40-yard field goal on the final play of the first half tied it at 17.
Mariota’s 10-yard scoring run in the third quarter gave Atlanta a 24-17 lead. Fields’ ability to extend a third-and-12 play by scrambling before passing to Equanimeous St. Brown for a 14-yard gain set up Montgomery’s 2-yard touchdown run to tie the game.
INJURIES
Bears: DE Trevis Gipson left early in the second quarter with an undisclosed injury. Taco Charlton, who was signed Wednesday off waivers from the Saints practice squad, replaced Gipson. … Montgomery was removed late in the first half and escorted to the medical tent. He quickly returned to the game. … CB Kyler Gordon was escorted to the locker room with a possible head injury in the third quarter.
Falcons: DE Ta’Quon Graham was carted off the field with a left knee injury in the second quarter and was ruled out. … TE Kyle Pitts had an 18-yard catch early in the third quarter but left with a knee injury following a big hit by safety Eddie Jackson. Pitts jogged off the field before the team announced he was questionable to return.
UP NEXT
Bears: At New York Jets on Nov. 27.
Falcons: At Washington on Nov. 27.
