Bears 23, Jets 12: Monangai and the Clock

October 4, 2026 - Chicago - The Bears' first drive died at the 1. Fourth down. D'Andre Swift stuffed. The Jets had the stop they wanted. They also had the next three hours of Soldier Field in front of them, and almost none of the ball.

The Chicago Bears beat the New York Jets 23-12. Chicago is 3-1. New York is 1-3. Kyle Monangai ran a career-high 30 times for 146 yards and two scores. Chicago held the ball 42:45, piled up 34 first downs and 492 yards, and did not punt. The Associated Press recap on CBS said it was the first time the Bears had gone a game without a punt since 2014, and the first time since 1997 they had held an opponent without a third-down conversion.

7-0 the long way, then field goals

Joseph Ossai and Jamien Sherwood stood Monangai up on third down of the second Chicago series. He still scored from a yard on fourth-and-goal. 7-0, 0:23 of the first. The Jets had four offensive plays in the quarter.

Minkah Fitzpatrick, back from a groin injury, intercepted Tyson Bagent on a shot for Colston Loveland. Jason Sanders made 36. 7-3. Cairo Santos answered from 30, then from 30 again as the half expired. 13-3.

Sherwood stripped Swift after the break. Brandon Stephens recovered. Sanders from 30. 13-6. Chicago then went 72 yards in nine plays. Monangai from 5. 20-6. Santos from 21 after 11 more plays. 23-6. Geno Smith hit Isaiah Williams for 58 with 9:16 left. Sanders missed the extra point. 23-12. Chicago closed with 18 plays and 77 yards and the clock.

Bagent went 25 of 34 for 268 yards and the Fitzpatrick pick. The Bears' club wrap listed him at 239. ESPN, CBS/AP, the Jets recap, and nflverse all have 268. We are using 268. Rome Odunze caught six for 94. Loveland had six for 57. Luther Burden III added four for 63. Swift ran 15 times for 58.

157 yards and a 58-yard answer that died

Smith was 8 of 15 for 119 yards and the Williams score. Garrett Wilson caught three for 27. Braelon Allen ran 14 times for 59. Breece Hall was not the lead back in this box. New York finished with 157 yards, 7 first downs, 0-for-7 on third down. Chicago ran 89 plays. AP noted it was the first time since 1999 a team had more first downs than the opponent had offensive plays.

Devin Bush, Austin Booker, and Dayo Odeyingbo each had a sack. Demario Davis had a sack and 10 tackles for the Jets, who were flagged 12 times. Aaron Glenn said the red zone was the one piece that held: Chicago went 2 of 7 down there. Two Monangai scores. Three Santos field goals. That is how you win 23-12 with 492 yards.

The Jets recap has Chicago at 232 rushing yards. Monangai 146, Swift 58. Bagent did not need a rushing score. He needed first downs, and he got 34 of them. The Bears converted 7 of 15 third downs. New York converted none.

Caleb Williams did not take a snap in this box. Bagent did, his first start since 2023. Monangai did, 30 times. Chicago has allowed 28 points in the three games since the 59-37 opener, per AP. The Jets host Cleveland next. The Bears visit Green Bay. Aaron Glenn said AFC ball starts now. Ben Johnson's club is 3-1 with a backup quarterback and a back who just carried it 30 times.

AthX Engine on a 42-minute night

AthX Engine NFL scoring already has the Week 4 lines in. Fitzpatrick's interception and 16 tackles land at 67.00, the top total in this game. Monangai is 50.00. Sherwood is 41.50. Davis is 37.50. Chicago's team line is 70.50.

Fantasy points measure the box. Price is what traders will pay for a Bears back who just carried 30 times in a start Williams sat, and for a Jets defense that still scored 67 AthX Engine points in a loss. They move together. They are not the same number.

Track Monangai, Swift, Odunze, Smith, Wilson, and both clubs on the marketplace. Chicago visits Green Bay on Oct. 11. Cleveland visits the Jets the same day.

*Sources: ESPN game page, Bears.com, AP recap (CBS), Jets recap. Bears.com listed Bagent at 239 passing yards; ESPN, AP/CBS, the Jets recap, and nflverse list 268. AthX Engine Week 4 lines scored from nflverse weekly stats (CC-BY 4.0). Information only; not financial advice.*