Bears Stun Bengals In Wild Finish As Williams Leads Electrifying Comeback 

Want a crazy game recap? How is this: a Cincinnati Bengals touchdown and two-point conversion. A successful onside kick and then a touchdown. Then a Chicago Bears touchdown.

Wait, that was just the last one minute and 43 seconds of the game. 

Ok, take a deep breath, and let’s back up a little to explain how Chicago pulled off one of the most electrifying victories of the 2025 NFL season Sunday afternoon, outlasting Cincinnati 47-42 in a heart-stopping thriller at Paycor Stadium. 

Chacigo Was the Same ol’ Bears – Until They Weren’t

The Bears got the town revved up with a four-game winning streak only to lay an egg against Baltimore last week. Now, they were up 41-27 with a little less than two minutes left. Can you imagine what would happen if they blew this big lead? The same ol’ Bears chants were probably heard throughout living rooms in Chicagoland.

The final minutes delivered enough drama to fuel highlight reels for weeks, featuring three touchdowns and two lead changes that had fans on both sides experiencing every emotion imaginable.  Joe Flacco orchestrated a miraculous comeback for the Bengals by throwing two touchdown passes in a span of 49 seconds. The veteran’s 9-yard strike to Andrei Iosivas with 54 seconds remaining gave Cincinnati a 42-41 lead. 

Then Bears quarterback Caleb Williams launched a pass to Colston Loveland, who barreled through the secondary for a 58-yard TD and the win with 17 seconds left. Suddenly, Bears fans were relaxing, probably with a deep breath or two.

Over 1,000 yards and 89 Points  

The wild finish capped a back-and-forth battle that saw both teams combine for 1,046 yards of total offense and 89 points. Williams showcased his dual-threat ability by throwing for 280 yards and three touchdowns while also hauling in a touchdown pass himself on a trick play. Meanwhile, veteran Joe Flacco turned back the clock for Cincinnati, tossing a career-high 470 yards and four touchdowns despite playing with an injured shoulder.

This victory moves the Bears to 5-3 on the season and marks their fifth win in six games since stumbling out of the gate with an 0-2 start. For the Bengals, the heartbreaking loss drops them further behind in the AFC playoff race and continues a troubling trend of failing to close out high-scoring games.

After the game, Chicago coach Ben Johnson said: 

“Just really proud of the group and how resilient they were. There were a number of things that weren’t pretty, that weren’t clean and yet what you learn about this group through the first half of the season is they are an extremely resilient bunch. They show up and they’re going to fight you all 60 minutes and they really don’t waver. I give them a lot of credit for their poise. With the way that game went, you’re up two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and they get the onside kick, they get the lead, it’s easy to fold and our guys didn’t do that. They kept the faith and found a way to come out on top.”

Key Takeaways From The Bears Win

Williams etched his name in NFL history books by becoming the first starting quarterback in nearly 82 years to catch multiple passes in a single game. The last quarterback to accomplish this feat was George Taliaferro of the Baltimore Colts on December 5, 1953. Williams caught two passes for 22 yards and a touchdown, including a 20-yard reception from backup quarterback Tyson Bagent that left fans and analysts scratching their heads in amazement.

• Despite nursing an AC joint injury in his throwing shoulder, Flacco delivered a vintage performance that reminded everyone why he once hoisted a Lombardi Trophy. The 39-year-old signal-caller completed 30 of 44 passes for 470 yards and four touchdowns, surpassing his previous career high. 
• Rookie running back Kyle Monangai stepped up in a big way for Chicago, rushing for 176 yards on 26 carries while filling in for the injured D’Andre Swift. The undrafted free agent already had 100 yards at halftime, showcasing the kind of burst and vision that has Bears fans dreaming of a bright future in the backfield.
• The game’s opening moments set the tone for the offensive explosion that followed, as Cincinnati’s Charlie Jones housed the opening kickoff for a 98-yard touchdown. Jones became the first player to return two kickoffs for touchdowns since the NFL implemented its new kickoff format in 2024.  
• Cincinnati’s defense continued to struggle, allowing at least 31 points for the third consecutive game while entering the contest ranked dead last in total defense. The unit surrendered 576 total yards to Chicago, including 283 on the ground at an alarming 7.6 yards per carry. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo’s job security appears increasingly tenuous as the Bengals have now lost six games since last season when scoring at least 30 points.

Chicago Plays the New York Giants Next 

Chicago will return home to host the struggling New York Giants next Sunday at Soldier Field, where they’ll look to build on this momentum against a team desperately searching for answers.

Meanwhile, the Bengals face a critical juncture in their season as they enter their bye week at 3-5, knowing that margin for error has essentially disappeared. Cincinnati will have two weeks to regroup before traveling to Pittsburgh on November 16 for a divisional showdown.