Williams connects with Loveland to set up Santos' winning field goal as Bears edge Buccaneers 27-24

CHICAGO (AP) — Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears played one of their worst games of the season — and won.

That last part was the only thing that mattered to them Sunday night.

Williams found Colston Loveland for a 38-yard reception that set up Cairo Santos' 38-yard field goal as time expired, and the Bears picked up a sloppy 27-24 victory over Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Chicago (7-2) committed five turnovers, including a career-high four interceptions by Williams. But he delivered after Mayfield rallied the Buccaneers in the final minutes.

“I don’t get gun shy. That’s not me. That’s not my identity,” Williams said. “And with that, I’m going to keep ripping it and keep ripping it.”

With Chicago facing a second-and-9 from its own 46 in the final minute, Williams passed to a wide-open Loveland at the Tampa Bay 35. The tight end ran down the sideline before he was pushed out of bounds at the 16.

After two kneel-downs by Williams, Santos delighted the crowd of 60,470 by drilling his second field goal of the night.

It was Chicago's first win with five-plus turnovers since a 23-13 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 3, 2006.

“It’s hard to win with five turnovers and yet we found a way to do it,” Bears coach Ben Johnson said. “They know that we didn't play as well as we’re capable of playing but I believe the best is yet to come in terms of our football in the back half of the season. So we’ll continue to build that as we go forward.”

Chicago had a 24-16 lead when Luther Burden fumbled on a helmet-to-helmet hit by Tampa Bay rookie Rueben Bain Jr. Bucs defensive back Ifeatu Melifonwu returned the ball to the Bears 17.

Bucky Irving had an 11-yard carry before going in from the 6 for his second touchdown of the game. Mayfield scrambled for the 2-point conversion, tying it at 24 with 2:51 left.

Mayfield was 18 for 32 for 243 yards and two interceptions. Irving finished with 97 yards on 20 carries.

Mayfield failed to complete a pass in Tampa Bay’s previous game, a 16-0 win over Atlanta in wet conditions. The Buccaneers (3-6) rushed for a franchise-record 324 yards in the victory over the Falcons, including 170 by Irving.

Williams was 22 for 37 for 279 yards and two touchdowns in Chicago’s fourth straight win. Burden had seven catches for 97 yards before he was shelved by a concussion. Jeffery Simmons had a sack in his first home game since he was acquired in a trade with Tennessee.

The Buccaneers and Bears were the NFL’s top rushing teams going into the weekend, but there wasn’t much room to maneuver on the ground. The Bucs finished with 126 yards rushing, and the Bears had 72.

Chicago had a 17-13 lead when Williams threw his fourth interception of the night, a deflected ball that landed in the hands of Tampa Bay linebacker Alex Anzalone. The Buccaneers took over at the Bears 37 with 4:32 left in the third quarter.

One play later, Mayfield tried to throw the ball to Cade Otton, but Jaylon Johnson stepped in front of the tight end and returned the interception 67 yards for his second career pick-6. It was his first interception of the season.

“That was a big play all around,” Johnson said. “You really could feel the momentum swing back in our favor after that one. He did a great job.”

Chicago got off to a fast start, scoring on its first two possessions. Williams passed to a wide-open Rome Odunze for a 9-yard touchdown on the first drive of the game. Then Burden broke a couple of tackles while turning a third-and-8 reception into a 56-yard TD, making it 14-0 with 6:00 left in the first quarter.

But the next two possessions for the Bears ended with interceptions by Williams, and the Buccaneers rallied by scoring on each side of halftime. Chase McLaughlin kicked a 21-yard field goal on the final play of the first half, and Tez Johnson’s 58-yard catch set up Irving’s 2-yard TD early in the third.

Buccaneers: S Antoine Winfield Jr. (ankle) departed in the second quarter with an ankle injury.

Bears: CB Tyrique Stevenson had a thumb injury.

Buccaneers: Bye week, and then a road game against the Detroit Lions on Nov. 22.

Bears: Bye week, and then a home game versus the New Orleans Saints on Nov. 22.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) passes against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second half during an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Bears place kicker Cairo Santos (8) kicks a game-winning field goal against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/David Banks)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) scores a two-point conversion against the Chicago Bears in the second half during an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Chicago Bears in the second half during an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Bears wide receiver Kalif Raymond (14) runs against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second half during an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Bears place kicker Cairo Santos (8) celebrates with teammates after kicking a game-winning field goal against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/David Banks)

SEATTLE (AP) — A week after an improbable comeback win, Minshew Magic vanished against Seattle.

Gardner Minshew and the Arizona Cardinals couldn’t repeat the formula that worked against the Dallas Cowboys and their porous defense, when Minshew took over for the struggling Jacoby Brissett in the third quarter, threw three touchdown passes and led Arizona to a 33-30 overtime victory.

Arizona promptly named Minshew its starting QB and traded Brissett to Baltimore. But Minshew and the Cardinals were shut down all day in a 17-3 loss to the Seahawks on Sunday, Arizona's 11th straight setback against Seattle.

“Frustrating, obviously,” Minshew said. “Word to describe the whole day.”

Minshew completed 21 of 30 passes for 166 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. Seattle sacked him three times and pressured him constantly.

The Cardinals finished with 198 yards of offense and were 4 for 13 on third down. Coach Mike LaFleur didn't blame the veteran QB.

“It was a collective effort to only score three points,” LaFleur said.

Minshew earned a reputation for dramatic, unexpected wins early in his career. On Sunday, he took Arizona into the red zone just twice.

Arizona kicked a field goal on its first series. Later, trailing by 14 with over four minutes left in the fourth quarter, Minshew drove the Cardinals to Seattle’s 2, but his pass to Trey McBride on fourth down fell incomplete.

“We were a little bit off, one way or another on a lot of our plays,” Minshew said. “And against a good team like that, you're not going to have that many chances.”

With Brissett now preparing to start for the Ravens, rookie Carson Beck is Minshew's backup.

Beck, drafted in the third round, has yet to play a snap for Arizona. LaFleur was asked if he considered putting Beck into the game.

“No,” LaFleur said.

The 30-year-old Minshew signed a $5.75 million, one-year deal with Arizona after spending last season as a backup in Kansas City. He replaced the injured Patrick Mahomes in Week 16 but suffered a season-ending knee injury on the third play of the game.

A Pro Bowl selection in 2023 with the Indianapolis Colts, Minshew has a 17-31 record as a starter.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Gardner Minshew II, center, gets hit as he throws by Seattle Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori (3) as Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91) looks on during an NFL football game in Seattle, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Kevin Ng)

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Gardner Minshew II (15) pauses on the field prior to an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Kevin Ng)

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Gardner Minshew II, right, gets hit as he throws by Seattle Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori (3) during an NFL football game in Seattle, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Kevin Ng)