Kyle Monangai rushed for 146 yards and two touchdowns as the Chicago Bears defeated the New York Jets 23–12 at Soldier Field on Sunday, improving to 3–1.
Chicago controlled the game on the ground and with a defense that limited New York to 157 total yards. The Jets fell to 1–3 with their third consecutive loss.
Monangai powers Chicago’s offense
Monangai supplied both of Chicago’s touchdowns, including a 5-yard run that completed a nine-play, 72-yard drive in the second half. His 146 rushing yards helped the Bears sustain possession and keep the Jets’ offense off the field.
Tyson Bagent completed 25 of 34 passes for 268 yards with one interception. NFL Next Gen Stats said Bagent completed 21 of 23 passes from a clean pocket, showing how effectively Chicago operated when New York could not create pressure.
The Bears outgained the Jets 492–157, their largest positive yardage margin since a 1979 win over the St. Louis Cardinals, according to NFL Research.
Jets struggle to sustain drives
New York went 0-for-7 on third down and finished the first half with only 34 net yards. The Jets did not reach the end zone until Geno Smith found Isaiah Williams for a 58-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter; the extra-point attempt failed.
The Jets’ defense produced an interception, but Chicago’s rushing attack, possession advantage and field position prevented that turnover from changing the outcome.
Chicago’s defense has now held three consecutive opponents to 12 points or fewer. The Jets became the latest team unable to sustain drives against a unit that entered the season with questions about whether its offseason changes would be enough.
What the result means
The Bears have won three straight after their opening loss and have done so with contributions from multiple quarterbacks, a productive running game and a defense limiting explosive opportunities.
New York faces a shorter margin for error after dropping three straight. Penalties, third-down failures and the inability to establish possession left the Jets chasing the game for most of Sunday.
The result joins a Week 4 slate that also included AskNovus coverage of the Patriots’ comeback win over Buffalo and the Cowboys’ late victory over Houston.
Sources
- NFL Week 4 review and statistics, October 4, 2026
- Chicago Bears official game recap, October 4, 2026
- New York Jets official game recap, October 4, 2026
- Reuters game report, October 4, 2026
Featured image is illustrative. Photo: Josseph Downs/Unsplash.