ATLANTA, Ga. (AP) - Caleb Williams completed his first 12 passes in his return from a hamstring injury, D'Andre Swift ran for two touchdowns and the Chicago Bears beat the Atlanta Falcons 31-23 on Sunday.

The Bears led 31-7 before holding off Atlanta's comeback attempt in the final quarter.

Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon, who was activated from the physically unable to perform list before the game in his return from a calf injury, had three sacks and two forced fumbles. Gordon's big day was capped by a sack of Michael Penix Jr. and forced fumble with 2:54 remaining and the Bears protecting a 31-23 lead. The fumble was recovered by Devin Bush at the Atlanta 28.

The Bears ran out the clock inside the Atlanta 5.

After missing three games, Williams was both mobile and accurate in his impressive return for the Bears (4-2). He opened the game by completing 6 of 6 passes for 64 yards, including a 14-yard scoring pass to Colston Loveland, on Chicago's opening drive.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams passes against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half of an NFL football game in Atlanta, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (Brynn Anderson | AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Williams was 12 of 12 for 142 yards before throwing his first incompletion in the second quarter. Though the Bears won two of three games with Tyson Bagent and Case Keenum filing in at quarterback, Williams' return sparked the offense. He completed 30 of 36 passes for 305 yards with one touchdown.

Penix completed 19 of 33 passes for 225 yards and three touchdowns for Atlanta (2-4) after leaving last week's 30-23 overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens with a rib injury.

Penix threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Jahan Dotson in the second quarter. The perfectly placed back-shoulder fade pass cut the Bears' lead to 14-7, but a fumbled fair catch attempt by Zachariah Branch gave Chicago possession at the Atlanta 10 late in the first half. Branch also lost a fumble on a kickoff return late in the third quarter.

The Falcons didn't score again until Penix found Kyle Pitts on a 10-yard scoring pass in the fourth quarter. Penix then completed
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