CHICAGO — The New York Jets fell to the Chicago Bears 23-12 on October 4, 2026, at Soldier Field, bringing their record to 1-3 for the season. The Jets had previously claimed they were competitive in their games, but the Bears dominated the matchup, outgaining the Jets 492 to 157 in total yards. Chicago produced 34 first downs compared to just seven for the Jets and rushed for 232 yards against the Jets' 59.
Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent, who had not started a game since 2023, outperformed Jets quarterback Geno Smith. Smith completed 8 of 15 passes for 119 yards, with 58 yards coming from a single touchdown pass. In contrast, Bagent completed 25 of 34 passes for 268 yards.
The Bears led at halftime 13-3, having run 46 plays to the Jets' 12 and accumulating 274 total yards to the Jets' 34. The Jets had more penalties in the first half than first downs. Chicago's first score came from a 1-yard run by Kyle Monangai with 23 seconds left in the first quarter. A replay review negated an earlier touchdown by D’Andre Swift.
The Bears extended their lead with two field goals by Cairo Santos, making the score 10-3 and then 13-3 by halftime. The Jets managed to score their only points of the first half with a 36-yard field goal by Jason Sanders, following an interception by safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, which ended a record-setting interception drought for the Jets.
In the second half, the Jets attempted to gain momentum but were unable to convert a drive into a touchdown, settling for another field goal from Sanders, narrowing the Bears' lead to 13-6. The Bears responded with a touchdown run by Monangai and another field goal from Santos, extending their lead to 23-6.
The Jets scored a late touchdown on a 58-yard pass from Smith to Isaiah Williams, but it was not enough to close the gap, resulting in a final score of 23-12 in favor of the Bears.