Rhamondre Stevenson scores 48-yarder as clock expires to stun Bears

Rhamondre Stevenson ran for a 48-yard touchdown as the first-half clock expired, cutting the Chicago Bears' lead from 13 to 7 points during a Thursday Night Football matchup against the New England Patriots. The score occurred on the final play of the second quarter, leaving the Bears up 20-14 at halftime at Soldier Field.

The sequence began after the Bears took over possession to start the third quarter, but the Patriots retained the ball for the final 14 seconds of the half. Quarterback Drake Maye elected not to kneel and end the half but instead attempted to gain points before the break. A.J. Brown caught an 18-yard pass to move the Patriots near midfield, positioning them for a potential long-range attempt.

On the final snap, Maye handed off to Stevenson. NextGenStats calculated that Stevenson had only a 4.3% chance of scoring once he secured the ball. Stevenson found open space and waited for teammates to make blocks, while Bears defenders over-pursued without urgency to tackle him. He exploited a crease in the defense and sprinted into the end zone as time ran out, surprising the home crowd.

Prior to this play, Chicago held a 20-7 lead after Luther Burden III scored on a third-and-17 play near the red zone in the waning seconds of the second quarter. The Bears had been playing their first home game since the death of former coach Mike Ditka. The game opened with a moment of silence for Ditka, and fans were provided with fake mustaches to mimic his signature look.

The Patriots entered the game seeking to extend a three-game winning streak. The article notes uncertainty regarding whether this late-half score will impact the remainder of the season for Chicago.