NFL news: Chicago Bears lose 20-19 to Green Bay Packers on failed field goal attempt despite QB Caleb Williams’ offensive improvement

CHICAGO — There were some positive signs in the Chicago Bears’ first game since Thomas Brown was promoted to offensive coordinator.

There was also a heartbreaking ending.

D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson raced to score in Chicago’s highest-scoring game in a month. Caleb Williams made several big throws to put the Bears in position for a dramatic win, but Cairo Santos’ 46-yard field goal was blocked on the final play of the game in Sunday’s 20-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

This was Chicago’s fourth straight defeat. But the Bears (4-6) managed just two TDs while scoring a combined 27 points in the first three games.

“I thought Thomas did a great job, honestly,” rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze said. “I thought it put us in position to succeed.”

Brown, 38, took the job after Shane Waldron was fired this week. Brown was on staff as the team’s passing game coordinator. As the Panthers’ coordinator, he called plays against Carolina for at least part of last season.

Johnson’s 1-yard run in the final seconds of the first half stopped a streak of 25 consecutive shots without a touchdown. Chicago failed to score in back-to-back games for the first time since December 2004.

“There’s obviously been a change in offensive coordinator since the beginning of the week. I’ve been really pleased with how this operation has gone in terms of the offensive staff and the collaboration with the players,” coach Matt Eberflus said. “And I think we showed that today.

“The communication during the game was great. The guys are coming up with answers to move the ball. And they did a good job of that. I thought Thomas Brown did a great job of putting that collaboration together.”

Williams had his best day since passing for 226 yards and four TDs in a 35-16 victory over Jacksonville on Oct. 13. In his first game against Green, the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft, he was 23 of 31 for 231 yards. Bay and rushed for 70 yards on nine carries.

Williams, who turns 23 on Monday, has completed 50.5% of his passes for 468 yards in the previous three games. He was sacked nine times in last weekend’s 19-3 loss to New England, but that number dropped to three against Green Bay.

The rookie got the ball out of his hands quicker for most of the matchup against the Packers and looked more determined when he saw a lane to run the ball. He praised Brown for how quickly he got the plays to him.

“I think there were a couple of instances where Thomas was on the mic when one of the guys went down on a run or when one of the guys caught a pass and went down,” Williams said. “Sometimes it’s a little hard to hear that in the moment because normally it’s a positive play. He’s going to keep repeating it.”

Led by Williams and Swift, who scored a 39-yard field goal late in the third quarter, the Bears finished the game with 179 yards rushing on 34 attempts. They had rushed for 142 yards on 43 total carries in their previous two games.

“We woke up today, we knew it was going to be a fight to the end,” Swift said. “I’m proud of the way we fought. I wish it had ended differently, but let’s get back to work.”

injuries

Bears: LG Ryan Bates suffered a concussion in the first quarter.

Packers: CB Jaire Alexander, who was dealing with a knee problem, could not play in the second half. … The Packers placed rookie G Jordan Morgan (shoulder) on injured reserve on Saturday. The first-round pick was to split time with Sean Rhyan at right guard, with Rhyan taking the majority of the snaps.

Next

Bears: Host Minnesota on Sunday.

Packers: Host San Francisco on Sunday.