The Chicago Bears beat the Atlanta Falcons 31-23 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium by keeping the ball for more than 40 minutes. Atlanta got only 50 offensive plays and spent most of the afternoon watching Chicago move the chains.

The gap on third down tells the story. Chicago converted 9 of 17, while Atlanta managed 3 of 12 and came away empty on all 3 fourth-down tries. When the Falcons did get chances, they gave the ball back.

How It Happened

Chicago scored on two first-quarter drives. Caleb Williams hit Colston Loveland for a 14-yard touchdown, and D'Andre Swift ran in from 4 yards late in the quarter for a 14-0 lead.

Atlanta answered in the second quarter when Michael Penix Jr. found Jahan Dotson for a 13-yard score. Chicago took that momentum right back, with Swift punching in a 2-yard run at 1:26 before the half to make it 21-7.

Roschon Johnson added a 4-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter. Cairo Santos then opened the fourth with a 50-yard field goal, and the Bears led 31-7 with nearly a full quarter to play.

The Falcons made it uncomfortable. Penix threw two touchdowns to Kyle Pitts Sr., from 10 and 5 yards, and converted both two-point tries, first to Zachariah Branch and then to Drake London. That cut the deficit to 8 with 5:41 left, but Atlanta never scored again.

Key Performers

D'Andre Swift, CHI: 2 rushing TD (4 YDS, 2 YDS)
Michael Penix Jr., ATL: 3 passing TD, 2 two-point conversion passes
Kyle Pitts Sr., ATL: 2 receiving TD (10 YDS, 5 YDS)
Chicago passing: 30-36, 270 net YDS, 0 INT
Chicago rushing: 33 ATT, 98 YDS
Atlanta passing: 19-33, 194 net YDS, 0 INT
Atlanta rushing: 12 ATT, 63 YDS
Time of possession: CHI 40:08, ATL 19:52

Chicago's passing game was efficient rather than explosive, completing all but 6 throws. The run game averaged only 3 yards a carry, but it kept the clock moving and finished drives. The Bears went 4 for 5 in the red zone.

Atlanta ran for more than 5 yards a carry and still handed it off just 12 times.

What It Means

Chicago improves to 4-2 and 2-1 on the road. The Bears overcame 12 penalties for 133 yards. Winning anyway, while being that sloppy, says something about how well they controlled the game otherwise.

Atlanta falls to 2-4, and the home-road split is now impossible to ignore. The Falcons are 0-3 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and 2-1 away from it. A team that wins on the road but can't protect its own building has a problem that goes beyond one opponent.

The Falcons were perfect in the red zone and gained more yards per play than Chicago. They just didn't have the ball often enough to make that count.