The first sign of friction in the Bears’ 36-10 victory Sunday against the Panthers came midway through the third quarter, when quarterback Caleb Williams scrambled 10 yards on a third-and-eight and took a hard shot out of bounds.
Williams kept the drive alive by running up the right sideline and reached the Panthers’ 2-yard line when he leaped out of bounds to avoid getting hit by two defenders. As he sailed through the air, though, Panthers safety Nick Scott jumped from the goal line and drilled Williams in the chest with his shoulder, sending him spinning into some photographers.
There was no penalty on the play, but the Bears raised objection. Left guard Bill Murray ran up and bumped Scott after the play and gave him an earful as the Soldier Field crowd booed.
Williams disagreed with the non-call.
“Thought it’d be a flag,” he said. “I was out of bounds for a good little bit.”
When asked whether he pursued it with the officials or got an explanation, Williams said, “I didn’t ask. I just kept going. Help the team. Go score.”
The Bears reached the 1-yard line before settling for Cairo Santos’ 33-yard field goal that made it 30-7.
While Williams moved on, Scott’s hit lingered for the offensive line.
“That was dirty,” right guard Matt Pryor said. “We take it personally when our quarterback gets hit, whether it was a legal play or not.”
Late skirmish
Things got chippy again when a crowd of players got into an altercation after Roschon Johnson’s one-yard touchdown run with four minutes left.
Murray grabbed cornerback Jaycee Horn while blocking on the play, and Horn went at him after the whistle. He hit Murray and offensive lineman Doug Kramer in the face mask, then Pryor came in from his right and punched him in the side of the helmet. Panthers linebacker DJ Johnson ran in and knocked Pryor to the ground with his shoulder before officials settled it down.
Horn and Pryor were ejected; Johnson was flagged for unnecessary roughness.
“It would’ve been better to handle it during a play than there, but I’m going to protect my teammates,” Pryor said.
He and Murray were unclear as to what prompted Horn’s initial reaction.
Pryor said, “Probably just frustration. Nobody likes getting embarrassed.”
Going for two?
At the end of that play, Bears coach Matt Eberflus curiously went for a two-point conversion. Up 26 points.
“That was the chart,” he said.
Sure.
Regardless, the Bears didn’t convert as Williams threw incomplete on a pass to Keenan Allen.
Basketball stars
In the second quarter, the Bears honored former Bulls star Derrick Rose, who watched the game with his family in a suite.
Rose, a three-time All-Star and the 2011 NBA MVP, retired last month.
Sky forward Angel Reese, an All-Star and runner-up for Rookie of the Year this season, also was at the game and watched warmups on the sideline.
Jenkins hurt
Eberflus had no update or timetable for starting left guard Teven Jenkins, who left with an ankle injury in the second quarter and didn’t return. He already was playing through bruised ribs.
When Jenkins went down, the Bears opted for Murray over Nate Davis. Murray, 27, played on offense for the first time in his career.
This and that
Santos went wide right on an extra point in the second quarter, which was his first missed PAT since Week 14 of last season. He has made 9 of 10 this season and is 8-for-9 on field goals.
† Bears interior offensive lineman Ryan Bates, who has been out with shoulder and elbow injuries, is eligible to come off injured reserve.
† The Bears have won eight consecutive home games, the NFL’s longest active streak. They return to Soldier Field on Nov. 10 to host the Patriots.
The Bears finally found a team they could dominate.
Williams hit wide receiver DJ Moore for touchdowns of 34 and 30 yards.