Caleb Williams and Bears trounce Panthers 59-37 in highest-scoring season opener in NFL history

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Caleb Williams threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 65 yards and two more scores as the Chicago Bears defeated the Carolina Panthers 59-37 on Sunday in the highest-scoring season opener in NFL history.

Chicago and Carolina scored eight more points than the previous record of 88 set in Tampa Bay’s 48-40 win over New Orleans in 2018.

Coach Ben Johnson's prolific Bears also broke a franchise record for points in an opener, a mark that had stood since 1948, when Chicago hung 45 points on Green Bay at Wrigley Field. The 59 points were the most allowed by the Panthers in team history.

D'Andre Swift, who received a $33.75 million contract extension earlier this week, ran for 124 yards on 18 carries with three touchdowns, while Kyle Monangai had 100 yards rushing, including a 61-yard touchdown burst.

It was the fourth-most points in Bears history. The most came in their notorious 73-0 win over Washington in the 1940 NFL title game.

Bryce Young threw for 361 yards and three touchdowns and ran for a score for Carolina. Jalen Coker had eight catches for a career-high 138 yards and two TDs.

Williams looked like an MVP candidate, completing several pinpoint passes while racking up 196 yards through the air in the first half, including a perfectly placed 22-yard touchdown strike to Cole Kmet.

He also ran for 52 yards and two TDs before the break as the Bears took a 31-24 lead into the locker room.

Chicago's lead might have been more had it not been for a questionable decision by Johnson and the play of Young.

Yoiung was 11 of 17 for 193 yards and two TDs before the break, the highlight coming on a 51-yard strike to Coker. Young also scrambled for a 7-yard touchdown after Johnson decided to run a quarterback sneak on a fourth-and-2 at the Chicago 21 that came up short.

It end up not mattering. Mistakes ended the Panthers' hopes in the second half.

After Chuba Hubbard scored his second TD to tie the game at 31-all, Carolina defensive end Derrick Brown was flagged for a late hit on Williams, allowing a drive to continue. That led to Swift's 1-yard TD run.

The Panthers went for it on fourth down near midfield on their next possession but Young couldn't connect with last year's NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, Tetairoa McMillan, on a lofted pass down the left sideline.

Chicago cashed in on the next play as Monangai broke through a hole in the middle and raced 61 yards for a 45-31 lead.

On Carolina's next drive, McMillan fumbled, giving the Bears the ball back. Williams cashed in with a scoring strike to a wide-open Jahdea Walker for a 52-31 lead with 6:27 remaining.

Bears: LT Braxton Jones left late in the third quarter with an upper-body injury. CB Tyrique Stevenson departed in the third quarter with a shoulder injury.

Panthers: DT Bobby Brown left in the second half with a back injury.

Bears: Host Minnesota next Sunday.

Panthers: At Atlanta next Sunday.

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