Chicago Bears take step back in 29-9 loss to Arizona Cardinals. Here’s what went wrong.

The Bears had no answers against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday in Glendale, Arizona, losing 29-9 in the team’s first loss at Arizona since 1998. Here’s what you need to know.

Three moments that mattered

1. Gut punch: The Bears’ first play of the fourth quarter felt like it all but sealed Sunday’s loss. Facing fourth-and-11 from the Cardinals’ 44-yard line, the Bears needed to keep their drive alive to chip into Arizona’s 24-9 lead. Instead, the Cardinals blitzed right past the Bears’ offensive line and sacked quarterback Caleb Williams.

2. Gaffe before the half: The Bears thought they were heading into halftime trying to find a way to overcome a 14-9 Cardinals lead after kicker Cairo Santos made a 53-yard field goal with 26 seconds left in the second quarter. But that went out the window when Cardinals running back Emari Demercado broke free for a 53-yard touchdown run. The score gave the Cardinals a 21-9 lead heading into halftime.

3. Losing leverage: An uncommon penalty allowed the Cardinals to score more points in the second quarter. The Bears thought they limited the Cardinals to a field goal on their own 6-yard line. But defensive tackle Gervon Dexter was called for an unsportsmanlike leverage penalty, which gave the Cardinals a fresh set of downs. They went on to score a touchdown to take a 14-6 with 3:14 left in the second quarter.

Three things that worked

1. Back to taking over: After failing to force a turnover for the first time this season against the Washington Commanders last week, the Bears’ defense had its fifth multi-turnover game of the season. Bears cornerback Reddy Stewart punched the ball out of Cardinals receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.’s hands and recovered the ball in the second quarter. Bears safety Kevin Byard recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter.

2. All roads lead to Rome: Bears rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze was one of the lone bright spots for the Bears’ offense Sunday. He caught five passes for 104 yards on seven targets, with his longest catch coming on a 44-yard throw from Williams in the second quarter. Odunze’s receptions and receiving yards were the second most he’s had this season.

3. Consistent kicking: Despite Sunday’s offensive struggles, Santos came in and got the job done when called upon. He made all three of his kicks for 53, 53 and 29 yards, respectively, to give the Bears their only points of the game. He has remained consistent during his fifth season with the Bears, making 11 of 13 field goal tries this year.

Three things that didn’t

1. Offense lost in the desert: Sunday’s matchup against the Cardinals’ defense, one of the worst in the NFL in pass and rush defense, offered Williams and the Bears an opportunity to build momentum. The opposite happened. The offense failed to score a touchdown for the second time this season and went 3 of 14 on third down. Williams was sacked six times and hit 12 times, completing 22 of his 41 throws for 216 yards.

2. Stopping the run: While the focus into Sunday’s game was containing Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, the Bears had no answers to stop the run. The Cardinals rushed for a season-high 213 yards and averaged 6.3 yards per carry, led by James Conner, who had 107 rushing yards. The absence of Bears defensive end Montez Sweat, who missed the game with a shin injury, played a factor.

3. Another slow start: Once again, the Bears couldn’t put offensive points on the board in the first quarter. The Bears failed to score a touchdown in the opening frame and have scored only one touchdown in the first quarter this season, which came against the Carolina Panthers in Week 5. They showed hope on their first drive, which went 10 plays and 45 yards, but it was stalled by a pre-snap penalty and a sack.

What’s next?

The Bears will come back home for the first time in over a month when they host the New England Patriots on Sunday at Soldier Field.