NFL 2024 London games: Caleb Williams stars as Chicago Bears crush Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham

It was the turn of Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears to take over London as they powered past the sorry Jacksonville Jaguars to clinch a 35-16 victory at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

Cole Kmet and Keenan Allen scored two touchdowns each to sink the Jags to 1-5 as the Bears won their third straight game to improve to 4-2, increasing the pressure on Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson ahead of next Sunday’s meeting with the New England Patriots at Wembley Stadium.

Caleb Williams out-duelled Trevor Lawrence in a battle of No 1 pick quarterbacks as the rookie finished 23 of 29 for 226 yards, four touchdowns and an interception. Lawrence meanwhile went 23 of 35 for 234 yards, two touchdowns and a pick before being replaced by Mac Jones with the game over in the final three minutes.

Gabe Davis cut Chicago’s lead to 11 points in the third quarter before Allen’s second end zone trip stretched Chicago’s advantage. Lawrence was then intercepted by Josh Blackwell before D’Andre Swift put the game out of reach for good with a touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

Matt Eberflus and Eric Washington’s Bears defense starred once more as Elijah Hicks recorded two pass breakups in the end zone as well as recovering a fumble, while DeMarcus Walker recorded a sack and two quarterback hits and a flying Kyler Gordon produced seven tackles with a tackle for loss before leaving with a hamstring injury.

Kmet’s double had put the Bears in command with a 14-3 lead at half-time, before disaster struck for the Jaguars on the opening play from scrimmage in the third quarter when Evan Engram fumbled under pressure from TJ Edwards, with Hicks recovering.

Williams punished emphatically with a nine-yard scoring strike to Allen to make it 21-3 moments after the duo had connected to move the chains on third-and-eight.

It prompted the Jaguars’ best drive of the game, with Engram converting on third-and-five before Lawrence’s pass intended for Brenton Strange was broken up brilliantly in the end zone by a back-peddling Kevin Byard.

Lawrence refused to be denied again three plays later, rolling out to his left and firing a 21-yard pass to Davis inside the pylon to make it an 11-point game after the extra point.

The Bears quashed hopes of a fight back as Williams orchestrated a 10-play 70-yard drive culminating in Allen’s three-yard touchdown catch after runs of 17 and 19 yards from Swift.

Chicago had entered the game with a third-most takeaways in the NFL, and racked up another as Blackwell intercepted Lawrence on the ensuing drive, by which point the Bears party had begun.

The noise levels were amplified again when the outstanding Swift punched in a one-yard rushing touchdown after DJ Moore had been stopped short on the previous play.

Davis added a consolation touchdown mid-way through the fourth quarter when he held onto Lawrence’s pass in traffic for a four-yard score.

Stats leaders

Jacksonville Jaguars

• Passing: Trevor Lawrence, 23/35, 234 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
• Rushing: D’Ernest Johnson, 6 carries, 28 yards
• Receiving: Evan Engram, 10 catches, 102 yards

Chicago Bears

• Passing: Caleb Williams, 23/29, 226 yards 4 TDs, 1 INT
• Rushing: D’Andre Swift, 17 carries, 91 yards, 1 TD
• Receiving: Cole Kmet, 5 catches, 70 yards, 2 TDs

Cam Little kicked the Jags into an early lead with 30-yard field goal after a 14-play drive lasting eight minutes in the opening quarter after Davis’ would-be touchdown catch was broken up in the end zone by Hicks.

Kmet was on hand to issue Chicago’s response when he exposed a blown read at mid-field to haul in Williams’ pass before breaking through two tackles on the way to a 31-yard touchdown catch-and-run.

The Jags woes nearly continued seconds later when Tremaine Edmunds knocked the ball out of the hands of Brian Thomas Jr, only for a review to rule it an incomplete pass.

Jacksonville threatened to swing momentum in their favour when Andre Cisco intercepted Williams at the goalline during a deep-shot intended for Moore. The Tottenham crowd seemed to spot the open Bears receiver seconds before the rookie quarterback, who eventually let rip only to see the Jaguars safety scurry across to make the pick.

Gordon then continued his fine game by stuffing Evan Engram on third down to prevent the Jaguars from punishing the Williams interception.

Williams then sought to make amends for his pick by leading a 10-play 85-yard touchdown drive ending in Kmet’s two-yard grab after the former Heisman Trophy winner set the march in motion with a 23-yard scramble.

Scoring summary

What’s next?

The Jaguars will remain in London as they prepare to host the New England Patriots at Wembley Stadium, playing back-to-back games in the UK for the second year running. Chicago meanwhile head into a bye week before visiting the Washington Commanders in Week Eight.

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