CHICAGO (AP) — Russell Wilson threw for three touchdowns, Wil Lutz kicked a tiebreaking field goal with just under two minutes remaining and the Denver Broncos bounced back from one of the most lopsided losses in franchise history by rallying to beat the Chicago Bears 31-28 on Sunday.
Denver (1-3) was coming off a 70-20 blowout by Miami that was franchise’s second-worst loss of the Super Bowl era, behind only a 51-0 pounding by the Raiders in 1967.
Lutz's 51-yarder capped a comeback from a 28-7, third-quarter deficit. Kareem Jackson then intercepted Justin Fields with the Bears (0-4) near midfield.
Chicago looked like it was headed toward an easy win, leading by 21 after Fields threw a 2-yard touchdown to Khalil Herbert late in the third quarter. Instead, the Bears dropped their 14th in a row since a Week 7 win at New England last season.
The Bears had a chance to break a 28-all tie late in the fourth quarter. Chicago opted to go for it on fourth-and-1 at the 18 rather than kick a field goal, and Herbert got stopped.
Fields threw for a career-high 335 yards and four touchdowns. He completed his first 16 passes and was 28 of 35.
Wilson threw a 4-yard TD to Brandon Johnson near the end of the third and a 13-yarder to Courtland Sutton early in the fourth to make it a seven-point game.
The Bears then had the ball near midfield when Nik Bonitto strip-sacked Fields. Jonathan Cooper recovered the fumble at the 35 and returned it for the tying touchdown.
Wilson hit Marvin Mims Jr. with a 48-yard pass to the 33 on the next play. The Broncos took the lead when Lutz kicked his field goal with 1:51 remaining, and Jackson sealed it with his interception. Fans showered the Bears with boos as the game ended.
Wilson threw for 223 yards. The nine-time Pro Bowler completed 21 of 28 passes
Jaleel McLaughlin ran for 72 yards and caught a touchdown pass for Denver.
DJ Moore caught eight passes for 131 yards and a touchdown for Chicago. Cole Kmet added 85 yards receiving and two TDs.
Herbert ran for 103 yards and caught a TD pass. But after getting blown out by Patrick Mahomes and the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, the Bears came up short again.
INJURIES
Broncos: RB Javonte Williams (hip) exited the game.
UP NEXT
Broncos: Host the New York Jets next Sunday.
Bears: Visit Washington on Thursday night. ___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
