Super Night for Nick Foles in Another Win Over Tom Brady

It was Super Bowl LII all over again, except without the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots.

Nick Foles outdueled Tom Brady down the stretch and the Chicago Bears got a game-winning 38-yard Cairo Santos field goal with 1:13 remaining to defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Thursday night at Soldier Field 20-19.

"All in all the offense made plays when they had to and I think that's one of the special traits that I think Nick has," Bears coach Matt Nagy said.

The Bears (4-1) didn't need a 16-point or 17-point comeback this time like against Atlanta or Detroit. Thirteen points was just fine.

Brady staked the Buccaneers to a 13-0 lead in the second quarter but Foles wiped out the deficit by halftime with help from the Bears defense. Then he led the fourth-quarter game-winning drive of 32 yards to the 30 for Santos' field goal.

"It was a fist fight," Foles said. "It reminded me of a good ol' fist fight from Philly. Now I get to do it in Chicago."

Brady tried launching a late drive but his fourth-and-6 pass to Cameron Brate was knocked down by DeAndre Houston-Carson, and after the play Brady stayed on the field as if he didn't realize it had been fourth down. The game was over.

"Man, this defense, man, these guys, it's a mentality or whatever," said Bears linebacker Khalil Mack after a two-sack night. "When our backs are against the wall, there's a lot of doubt out there, we believe in each other and we know in those moments that we can count on one another.

"The DBs tonight, they did a hell of a job, hell of a job. It was time to get there. DHC, he ran those routes. He ran that last route. It's a beautiful thing to see out there, man."

Foles went 30 of 42 for 243 yards with a touchdown pass to Jimmy Graham of 12 yards in the first half. He also had a first-half interception, but it was a Tampa Bay turnover that turned around the game.

The Bears trailed 13-7 just before halftime following a 3-yard David Montgomery TD run, when Kyle Fuller jarred the ball loose from Ke'Shawn Vaughn on a play first ruled incomplete, but then reversed for a fumble recovery by Robert Quinn.

Graham's 12-yard one-handed TD grab followed the turnover and in a span of 1:48 the Bears scored twice for a 14-13 lead.

The teams traded field goals the rest of the way in a defensive struggle. Ryan Succop hit from 46 yards, Santos from 47, then Brady guided the Bucs to a 25-yard Succop field goal with 4:49 to play.

But it was left for Foles to make the final scoring drive, hitting Montgomery on a crucial wheel route for 17 yards on second-and-11 from the Bucs 42 to get into field goal range.

"The thing with Nick is, Nick gets up at that line of scrimmage and he sees what the defense does and he has things we can get to at the line of scrimmage based on what they’re doing defensively," Nagy said. "I just thought that was huge right there, to be able to get to that there, get the ball up and give him a chance"

The final Bears drive seemed all the more impressive considering Alex Bars was at left guard in his first significant playing time after James Daniels went out with a pectoral injury.

Santos made the kick to the same end of the field as Cody Parkey missed the infamous double-doink from 42 yards in the 2018 playoffs.

"That didn't cross my mind, the history or whatever," Santos said. "I just wanted to get my opportunity and knock it through.

"I think big-time moments and pressure like that are a privilege."

Brady finished 25 of 41 for 253 yards and a first-quarter TD of 2 yards to Mike Evans.

But he completed a 12-yarder to start Tampa's final drive, and then a 4-yarder to Vaughn on second down, the threw consecutive incompletions to Rob Gronkowski and Brate to end the last threat. Then Brady held up his fingers and stayed on the field as if to indicate he didn't know it had been fourth down.

"He knew," coach Bruce Arians said.

Brady was asked about it after the game, but didn't answer the question.

Now 4-1 for the first time under Nagy, the Bears are off until they play at Carolina a week from Sunday.

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