Bears fall to the Cardinals in Arizona

The game's turning point came after Santos' third field goal put the Bears up 14-9 with 26:26 left in the first half. The Cardinals immediately got back on track, extending their lead to 21-9 after running back Emari Demercado completed a 53-yard TD run with :04 remaining on a third-and-5 draw.

“The result at the end of the half is in my hands,” said Eberflus. “I called for pass defense and pass pressure, and they ended up running the ball. Here too I can make a better decision. That’s up to me.”

The Cardinals gained 118 of their 213 yards in the second quarter. The Bears' run defense entered Week 9 ranked 14th in the NFL after leading the league last season.

“I think our run defense needs to be strengthened,” Eberflus said. “When you have such a big run, the numbers obviously go up. We know how to do it; we've done it in the past with the same guys. It's important that we strengthen ourselves and make sure we do a better job, starting with the coaches and then the players.

The Bears played without four injured starters in left tackle Braxton Jones (knee), defensive end Montez Sweat (shin), nickel back Kyler Gordon (hamstring) and safety Jaquan Brisker (concussion). Three other players left the contest with injuries: right tackle Darnell Wright (knee), defensive tackle Andrew Billings (chest) and cornerback Terell Smith (ankle).

The Cardinals took a 7-0 lead when Trey McBride scored on a jet-sweep 2-yard TD run with :46 left in the first quarter. The score fell one play after McBride's 15-yard reception from Kyler Murray on third-and-1 and was set up by Greg Dortch's 27-yard punt return to the Bears' 41.

The Bears cut the deficit to 7-3 on their next possession with Santos' 29-yard field goal. The kick was set up by Williams' 44-yard completion to a wide-open Rome Odunze to the Arizona 23. The Bears reached the 11 but settled for the field goal after three consecutive incompletions.

The defense then provided a key takeaway when undrafted rookie Reddy Steward “peanut-punched” the ball away from receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. after a 21-yard reception. Elijah Hicks returned the fumble seven yards to Arizona's 46.

“He had the ball loose and I just reacted to it and knocked it out,” said Steward, a Troy product who made his NFL debut Sunday. “Elijah picked it up and we got the turnover, so it felt good.”

The Bears converted the loss into a 53-yard field goal from Santos to close the deficit to 7-6 with 9:10 left in the second quarter.

But the Cardinals answered as running back Trey Benson's 1-yard TD run increased the lead to 14-6. It appeared the Bears had forced Arizona to settle for Chad Ryland's 32-yard field goal, but a leverage penalty on Gervon Dexter Sr. gave the Cardinals an automatic first down.

Santos' 53-yard field goal brought the Bears within 14-9 with :26 minutes left in the half before Demercado's 53-yard TD run made it 21-9 at halftime.

After the Bears opened the second half with a three-pointer, Ryland's 29-yard field goal extended Arizona's lead to 24-9.

The Bears turned the ball over on downs on the first play of the fourth quarter when Williams was sacked for a 16-yard loss on fourth-and-10 from the Arizona 44. The Cardinals failed to get a first down, but extended their lead to 27-9 on Ryland's 55-yard field goal.

Arizona later made it 29-9 when D'Andre Swift was penalized for a chop block in the end zone, leading to a safety with 7:54 to play.

With their second straight loss, the Bears fell to 4-4. They'll be back home next Sunday to host the Patriots at Soldier Field.

“We have to circle the wagons and really hang in there,” Eberflus said. “That’s what you do in difficult times. We have everyone we need, the men's circle, the staff and the coaches. We have all we need and we will look within. Look and make sure we are doing things right. It starts with the coaches first and then it starts with practice on Wednesday.

“We have to find some good answers to get our guys in position and we have to do a great job this week. At halftime we are now 4-4 and we are starting. For me it is now about getting this first win and being 1-0 this week.