Caleb Williams, DJ Moore shine as Chicago Bears trounce Carolina Panthers 36-10. Here’s how they did it

CHICAGO – The Bears and rookie quarterback Caleb Williams dominated the Carolina Panthers in a commanding 36-10 win on Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field. Here’s what you need to know.

Three moments that mattered

1. What a beauty: In a day filled with plenty of nice throws, Williams showed off his arm with one of the best when he connected with wide receiver DJ Moore for their second touchdown of the game. Williams sailed a 30-yard pass that Moore caught jumping in the end zone. The score gave the Bears a 27-7 lead with 24 seconds left in the second quarter.

2. Ouch, that hurt: Safety Jaquan Brisker forced his second turnover for a second straight week late in the second quarter. Brisker tackled the Panthers’ Tommy Tremble with a strong hit and forced a fumble, which Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter recovered. The Bears turned the takeaway into points when D’Andre Swift scored on a 1-yard to give the Bears a 21-7 lead.

3. Strong response: After giving up a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter, the Bears offense responded with a strong drive to tie the game. The Bears used seven plays to go 70 yards down the field and scored when Williams found Moore for a 34-yard touchdown with 5:44 left in the first quarter. The Bears ran the ball four times and Williams completed all three of his pass attempts.

Three things that worked

1. Williams-Moore connection shines: Williams and Moore had their strongest combined performance of the season, something Bears fans having been waiting all season to see. Moore caught five passes on eight targets for 105 yards, including two touchdowns. Williams had his strongest looking performance of the season, completing 20 of his 29 passes for 304 yards and two touchdowns.

2. Another one: The Bears defense continued its hot start to the season by forcing at least one turnover for the fifth straight game. Brisker gave the Bears their first turnover in the second quarter while safety Kevin Byard intercepted a pass in the third quarter and Kyler Gordon forced a fumble in the fourth. The Bears have now recovered eight fumbles and intercepted the ball six times.

3. Creating pressure: Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton had a hard time getting comfortable in the game with the constant pressure he felt from the Bears defense. The Bears finished with four sacks and 10 quarterback hits, with Dexter, Andrew Billings and Austin Booker finishing with a sack and Dexter four hits. Dalton threw for 136 yards and completed 18 of his 28 pass attempts.

Three things that didn’t

1. Not a great start: The Panthers made it seem like they might put some points on the board after a strong second drive. They went 51 yards on five plays, scoring when Chuba Hubbard found a hole in the Bears defense and scored on a 38-yard run. The score gave the Panthers a 7-0 lead with 8:34 left in the first quarter, their lone lead of the game.

2. Sluggish second half: After a strong first half, the offense failed to gain momentum in the second at times. The Panthers offense forced the Bears to go three-and-out three times and punt the ball three times. The Bears scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter after they started a possession on the Panthers 18-yard line thanks for Gordon’s fumble recovery and settled for a field goal in the third quarter after Byard’s interception.

3. Need to clean it up: Although the Bears showed some progress, they still committed some costly penalties, including two that took away touchdowns. The Bears were called for illegal motion in the second quarter that took away a Swift touchdown and a chipping penalty in the third quarter, which nullified a Williams rushing score. The Bears scored a touchdown after the second quarter penalty but settled for a field goal in the third quarter.

What’s next?

The Bears will cross the Atlantic Ocean and play the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at 8:30 a.m. in London.