Week 13 recap: Andy Dalton throws 4 INTs — the most for a Chicago Bears QB in a game since 2016 — in a 33-22 loss to the Arizona Cardinals
Large sections of seats sat empty as the clock ticked down Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field, with fans fleeing not only the cold, rainy weather but also another miserable Chicago Bears loss.
As Bears rookie Justin Fields sat out with broken ribs, veteran Andy Dalton threw four interceptions on the way to a 33-22 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
The Cardinals scored three touchdowns and made a field goal on the drives following the interceptions, including touchdowns after picks on the Bears’ first two drives. The result was the Bears sixth loss in seven games and eighth overall.
While the Cardinals welcomed back quarterback Kyler Murray and top wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins from injuries, the 4-8 Bears were missing multiple stars, including Fields, who was not medically cleared to play after being limited in practice all week. Outside linebacker Khalil Mack is out for the season. Defensive lineman Akiem Hicks and wide receiver Allen Robinson missed their third straight games with injuries.
Those absences made an upset of the now 10-2 Cardinals an unlikely dream.
In his first game since Week 8 because of an ankle injury, Murray completed 11 of 15 passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 59 yards and two touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Dalton completed 26 of 41 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns. He is the first quarterback to throw four interceptions since Matt Barkley threw five in 2016.
Jalen Thompson, Budda Baker, Byron Murphy Jr. and Zach Allen all recorded interceptions. It was Dalton’s fifth four-interception game of his career and the first since 2019.
Thompson’s interception came on a pass that bounced off Jakeem Grant’s hand, and Cole Kmet dropped the second, which ended up in Baker’s hands. Dalton’s third pick was deflected at the line of scrimmage into the hands of Murphy. The Cardinals capitalized on Allen’s to make it a three-score game.
Bears running back David Montgomery had 21 carries for 90 yards and a touchdown.
Dalton had second-half touchdown passes to Jimmy Graham and Grant, the latter an 8-yard pass with 2:51 to play with the game well out of reach.
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<mark class="hl_orange">Here’s how the Week 13 game unfolded.</mark>
Week 13 inactives announced
Bears inside linebacker Roquan Smith is active Sunday against the Cardinals.
Smith missed practices Wednesday and Thursday with a hamstring injury but returned in a limited capacity Friday. He worked out at Soldier Field hours before the game to test out his hamstring before the Bears made the decision.
Bears rookie offensive tackle Teven Jenkins also is active for his first NFL game after the Bears activated him Saturday. Jenkins missed training camp and the first 11 games after having back surgery.
Bears quarterback Justin Fields and wide receiver Allen Robinson are officially inactive.
Bears coach Matt Nagy said Friday that Fields hadn’t been medically cleared to play, so Andy Dalton will start and Nick Foles will be the backup.
Robinson had been listed as doubtful as he recovers from a hamstring injury. He will miss his third straight game with the injury.
The Bears already ruled out defensive linemen Akiem Hicks (ankle) and Mario Edwards Jr. (ribs), wide receiver Marquise Goodwin (foot/ribs) and running back Damien Williams (knee). Defensive back Teez Tabor also is inactive for the Bears.
For the Cardinals, quarterback Kyler Murray and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins are both active and will play for the first time since Week 8.
Murray has been out with an ankle injury and Hopkins has been out with a hamstring injury. Both were gameday decisions.
Wide receiver Andy Isabella, quarterback Trace McSorley, cornerback Jace Whittaker and offensive lineman Justin Pugh are inactive.
Halftime: Bears trail Cardinals 21-7
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score for a 21-7 halftime lead against the Chicago Bears.
In his first game since Oct. 28 after recovering from an ankle injury, Murray completed just five of 8 passes for 73 yards and rushed for 19 yards on four carries. But Bears quarterback Andy Dalton was intercepted on the Bears’ first two drives of the game, and the Cardinals capitalized with two touchdowns.
On the Bears’ first drive, Cardinals safety Jalen Thompson grabbed Dalton’s high pass that bounced off Jakeem Grant’s hands, setting up a 28-yard Cardinals touchdown drive. On fourth-and-3, Murray’s 21-yard touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins gave the Cardinals a 7-0 lead with 10:55 to play in the first.
The Bears got to the Cardinals’ 20 on their next drive, but Budda Baker intercepted a pass that Cole Kmet dropped and returned it 78 yards. Murray scored on a 9-yard touchdown run on third-and-goal.
Behind running back David Montgomery, the Bears responded with a 77-yard drive, capped by Montgomery’s 1-yard touchdown run.
Deep in Cardinals territory, Dalton hit Grant with an 11-yard pass on fourth-and-8 and Damiere Byrd with a 10-yard pass on third-and-5 to keep the drive alive.
The Cardinals responded quickly, with James Conner scoring a 23-yard touchdown on a pass from Murray for a 21-7 lead with 5:40 to play in the second quarter. Xavier Crawford missed the tackle on Conner.
The Bears were playing without cornerback Jaylon Johnson during that touchdown, after he came off briefly because of injury. He returned on the next drive.
Montgomery rushed for 63 yards and the touchdown on 14 carries and had four catches for 26 yards.
Pregame notes
The Cardinals had extra time to prepare for the Bears coming off their bye week. They opened the season with seven straight victories before going 2-2 in their last four games, including 2-1 without quarterback Kyler Murray.
Murray, who had a left ankle injury, could return Sunday after coach Kliff Kingsbury deemed him a game-day decision.
The Bears, however, won’t have starting quarterback Justin Fields, who isn’t medically ready to return from broken ribs. Bears coach Matt Nagy named veteran Andy Dalton the starter for the second straight game.
Dalton led the Bears to a 16-14 comeback victory over the Lions on Thanksgiving but will have a tougher test against one of the NFL’s top defenses.
“We’ve got to be consistent with what we’re doing,” Dalton said. “To have that last drive (against the Lions), to go on the long drive that allows us to win the game, kick the field goal right at the end, there’s stuff we can build off of for sure. We have to carry a little bit of that momentum into this week and where we’re going from here on out.”