The Seahawks were driving against the Bears for a potential tying touchdown midway through the fourth quarter Monday night at Soldier Field.
Prince Amukamara stepped in and shut down their plans.
Amukamara’s interception return for a touchdown helped lift the Bears to a 24-17 victory over the Seahawks, and the Bears improved to 1-1 on the young season.
The Bears cornerback stepped in front of Russell Wilson’s pass intended for running back Rashaad Penny and returned it 49 yards for a touchdown to put the Bears up by two touchdowns.
The Bears also forced a turnover on the Seahawks’ next drive, with Danny Trevathan stripping Wilson and Leonard Floyd recovering it. The Seahawks got the ball back, and Wilson found Will Dissly for a 2-yard touchdown pass with 14 seconds to play.
But the Bears recovered the onside kick to cement coach Matt Nagy’s first career NFL victory.
Here’s how the game unfolded.
After the Bears forced the Seahawks to punt on their opening possession, quarterback Mitch Trubisky marched the Bears 96 yards to score on their opening drive. Trubisky’s 3-yard shovel pass to Trey Burton gave the tight end his first touchdown in a Bears uniform. The drive included a 17-yard scramble by Trubisky and an 18-yard pass to Jordan Howard.
Trubisky underthrew wide receiver Allen Robinson on the opening play of a Bears drive early in the second quarter, and cornerback Shaquill Griffin intercepted the pass. But the Bears defense forced the Seahawks to go three-and-out on their ensuing drive. It was Trubisky’s first interception of the season.
Griffin intercepted Trubisky again three minutes later in the second quarter on a tipped pass, but the Bears again forced the Seahawks’ ensuing drive to stall.
The Bears took a 10-0 lead with 1:07 left before halftime when Cody Parkey connected on a 25-yard field goal. Parkey’s kick capped a 12-play, 44-yard drive. But it was a bit of a missed opportunity after the Bears took over possession near midfield following a Khalil Mack strip sack and a 10-yard punt by Seattle rookie Michael Dickson.
The Seahawks got on the scoreboard as the first half expired with a 56-yard field goal by veteran kicker Sebastian Janikowski. That marked the first points the Bears defense had given up in the first half this season.
Wilson found Tyler Lockett for a 19-yard touchdown pass with about 10 minutes to play in the game to pull the Seahawks within 17-10. Wilson dropped the pass just over Bears defender Kyle Fuller to Lockett, who was sprinting into the back right corner of the end zone.
On the drive preceding Bears drive, Trubisky pushed the Bears’ lead to 17-3 early in the fourth quarter when he found Anthony Miller for a 10-yard touchdown pass.
Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky (left) rushes the ball against Seattle Seahawks linebacker Barkevious Mingo (centre) during the first quarter at Soldier Field in Chicago on Monday. (USA TODAY Sports)
