Bears vs. Panthers score, takeaways: Defense fuels Chicago past Bryce Young and Co. on Thursday night

Chicago, which owns Carolina's 2024 first-round pick, also boosted its chances of landing the top pick with the W

The Chicago Bears kicked off Week 10 with their third victory of the season as they downed Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers 16-13. Chicago had some bonus wins that came with this victory, as its 2024 first-round draft pick acquired from Carolina in March was kept high in the order with another loss added to the tally, and the Bears held Young, who was selected with the top pick Chicago traded to Carolina, to just 185 passing yards.

Young did lead a 15-play, 50-yard drive late in the fourth quarter that got the Panthers to the Bears' 41-yard line, but Eddy Pineiro's potential game-tying 59-yard field goal attempt with 1:40 remaining in the game came up short.

As the final score indicates, this matchup did not feature any offensive fireworks. Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent took what the Panthers defense gave him for the majority of the night, completed 20 of 33 passes for 162 yards. D'Onta Foreman rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries, and D.J. Moore caught five passes for 58 yards in his revenge game against the team that drafted him.

Young, who registered the worst outing of his young career this past Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts with three interceptions, again struggled. The Alabama product completed 21 of 38 passes for 185 yards, while Carolina mustered just 43 yards on the ground. 

Below are some takeaways that dive more deeply into what went down in Chicago on Thursday night. 

Why the Bears won

The Bears defense controlled the tempo of this matchup. Carolina recorded just 97 yards of total offense in the first half, and finished with 213 total yards. The Panthers converted just 3-of-15 third downs, and didn't score a touchdown, as Ihmir Smith-Marsette's 79-yard punt return touchdown in the first quarter was the lone end-zone trip for Carolina on Thursday night. The Bears defense also recorded three sacks and nine QB hits.

Credit to Bagent for being a game manager and taking care of the football, but Chicago's defense came up big.

Why the Panthers lost

This was another tough outing for Carolina. There's no one reason the Panthers lost on Thursday night. The offense struggled to move the ball (213 yards of total offense), Young missed several throws and had a couple of passes that should have been intercepted.

The defense, on the other hand, failed to generate any kind of pass rush with Brian Burns out due to injury, recording a grand total of zero sacks, and allowed Bagent underneath completions all game long. You get enough of those underneath completions, and those can turn into long drives, such as the one Bagent organized right before halftime, going 70 yards on nine plays, which led to a field goal. 

The Panthers have concerns on both sides of the ball, which is why they have one win through 10 weeks. 

Turning point

Late in the fourth quarter down three points, Young was in the process of orchestrating a long drive which looked promising. The offense converted two straight fourth downs, and was in enemy territory with just under two minutes remaining. However, that's when the drive began to stall.

Young missed tight end Hayden Hurst on first down, missed Jonathan Mingo on second down and then almost threw an interception on third-and-10. Now facing a fourth-and-10 from the Chicago 41-yard line, Frank Reich opted to throw former Bears kicker Eddy Pineiro out on the field to attempt what would be a career-long 59-yard field goal. 

It didn't work out:

Play of the game

On Chicago's second possession of the game, Bears punter Trenton Gill booted the ball down the field to former Bear Ihmir Smith-Marsette. Smith-Marsette fielded the punt at his own 21-yard line, turned on the jets and returned it 79 yards for the lone touchdown of the first half. 

It was interesting, as the Amazon broadcast showed there was a flag on the play, but no flag was actually thrown. 

What's next

The Panthers return to Charlotte next week to host the Dallas Cowboys. As for the Bears, they travel to Detroit to take on the rival Lions. 

[Nov 9, 2023 at 11:05 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

The Panthers 59-yard field goal attempt is no-good and it looks like Chicago is going to pull away and move to 3-7 on the season. 

[Nov 9, 2023 at 11:02 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Monster throw by Young to connect with Sanders to convert on fourth down. Carolina does seem to be marching into the field goal range. 

[Nov 9, 2023 at 10:59 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

In a mad dash, the Panthers finally seem to have some rhythm on offense heading into the two-minute warning, but it might be too little too late. This fourth down attempt seems like it could very well be the game. 

[Nov 9, 2023 at 10:42 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Boy, Marshall needs to secure that catch. Yes, he had a defender all over him, but Young hit him perfectly in the hands. It would have been short of the first down market, but it at least gives you the option to go for it and keep hopes of a touchdown alive. 

[Nov 9, 2023 at 10:39 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Both of these teams are playing pretty undisciplined right now. After all those Carolina penalties, the Bears commit their fair share to help the Panthers convert the first down anyways. 

[Nov 9, 2023 at 10:34 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

What a meltdown by the Panthers to end the third quarter. They had a golden opportunity with fantastic field position. What do they do with it? Holding and OPI penalties on back-to-back plays put them in a first-and-30 situation. They went from being on the Chicago 40 to snapping it at their own 40-yard line. Can't win with plays like that. 

[Nov 9, 2023 at 10:29 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Horrible 26-yard punt by Chicago and now the Panthers will get the ball inside Bears territory to potentially take the lead. 

[Nov 9, 2023 at 10:29 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Comical moment there from official Clete Blakeman, who initially called DPI when he really meant OPI on D.J. Moore. It was a whirlwind of emotions for Bears fans in attendance. 

[Nov 9, 2023 at 10:22 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

If that gain by Mingo was a yard or two closer, I think Frank Reich would have a real decision. With it being fourth-and-4, probably best to try and pin Chicago.

[Nov 9, 2023 at 10:19 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

When Young's been able to set his feet, he's made a couple of nice throws tonight. There doesn't seem to be anyone in that pass-catching unit that can separate, however, which is forcing him to hold the ball and allow pressure to cave in. 

[Nov 9, 2023 at 10:14 pm ET · Jordan Dajani]

Caps a nine-play, 38-yard drive. The Bears have now scored 13 unanswered points.

[Nov 9, 2023 at 10:14 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Foreman has 62 yards on 15 carries and this touchdown tonight. He's also caught both of his targets for 12 yards. 

[Nov 9, 2023 at 10:13 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

The Bears finally reach the end zone. Foreman twirls around and sheds a couple of Panthers defenders to give Chicago the 16-10 lead. 

[Nov 9, 2023 at 10:11 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

With Jason Kelce in the house, the Bears convert their own version of the "Tush Push" with Kmet barreling in for the first down. 

[Nov 9, 2023 at 10:06 pm ET · Jordan Dajani]

Matt Eberflus said at halftime the Bears got some things up their sleeve for the second half. 

[Nov 9, 2023 at 10:06 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Huge opportunity for the Bears. After pinning Carolina deep in their own territory and then forcing another three-and-out, they'll begin this drive already in Panthers territory. If they were ever going to take the lead in this game, this is the moment. 

[Nov 9, 2023 at 10:01 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Both of these teams really came out of the halftime locker room with their hair on fire .... Back-to-back three-and-outs. 

[Nov 9, 2023 at 9:58 pm ET · Jordan Dajani]

Delay of game on the three-and-out punt deep in your own territory to start the second half...

[Nov 9, 2023 at 9:57 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

A very quick three-and-out for the Panthers to open up this second half. Opening drive lasted just 56 seconds. 

[Nov 9, 2023 at 9:55 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Could there be some trickery coming with the Bears? Head coach Matt Eberflus told Prime Video that they have some stuff "up our sleeve" in this second half. Will be interested to see if that comes to fruition in this second half. 

[Nov 9, 2023 at 9:45 pm ET · Jordan Dajani]

HALFTIME: Panthers 10, Bears 9

First downs: CAR 6 CHI 13
Total yards: CAR 97 CHI 205
Third downs: CAR 2-6 CHI 4-10
TOP: CAR 11:04 CHI 18:56

Bryce Young 7/14 63 yards (one 45 yard completion to Mike Strachan)
Tyson Bagent 14/24 127 yards

Chuba Hubbard 6 carries 20 yards
D'Onta Foreman 10 carres 39 yards

Mike Strachan 1 catch 45 yards
Adam Thielen 3 catches 8 yards
DJ Moore 4 catches 49 yards
Cole Kmet 3 catches 25 yards

[Nov 9, 2023 at 9:42 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

That punt return is the difference in this half. The Bears are ahead of the Panthers in most categories outside of the actual scores. They have more total yards (205 to 97), first downs (13 to 6), and had the time of possession advantage. Let's see if they can respond in the second half. 

[Nov 9, 2023 at 9:41 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

High IQ play from Kmet. 

[Nov 9, 2023 at 9:40 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Wow. For a minute, I thought Leota was going to be able to strip Bagent for the fumble and ruin Chicago's scoring opportunity. That's a moment where the Panthers miss Brian Burns. 

[Nov 9, 2023 at 9:38 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Heads-up play by Kmet to dash out of bounds. Chicago might have a shot at the end zone here with a timeout in its pocket. 

[Nov 9, 2023 at 9:37 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

That's Bagent's best ball of the night. He perfectly hits Moore along the sideline and the receiver gets out of bounds to stop the clock.