Allen's defense dominates against former team as Bears beat Saints 26-14 for 4th straight win

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CHICAGO (AP) — As much as Dennis Allen downplayed going against his former team, his players weren't buying it. This one had to mean a little more.

Allen’s defense dominated, and the Chicago Bears beat the New Orleans Saints 26-14 on Sunday for their fourth straight win.

Allen, the Bears’ defensive coordinator, was facing the Saints for the first time since they fired him as head coach midway through last season after 2 1/2 years.

“He didn't make it about himself this entire week, he didn't mention anything about it,” safety Kevin Byard said. “But just me being a veteran, I know. This meant a lot for him.”

Allen spent 15 of the past 20 years in New Orleans either as an assistant under Sean Payton or head coach. He was part of a Super Bowl-winning staff.

Allen was the Saints' defensive coordinator for six years before getting promoted in 2022 when Payton retired. He led New Orleans to an 18-25 record with no playoff appearances before he was fired last November.

“I know what it feels like to go against your old team,” said veteran linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, who had a sack and an interception. “He probably had a lot of emotions into it. I'm glad he was able to celebrate and smile after the game.”

Allen brushed this off as “another game” during the week. But it was clear he was feeling pretty good afterward.

Allen got the game ball from coach Ben Johnson, then told the team: “Sometimes, the good Lord just has a freakin' plan for you that you don't know about. And sometimes, you ain't good enough for somewhere else. That's perfectly fine. I love being here. I love being with this group of guys.”

The Bears forced four turnovers in their fourth straight game with three or more, giving them 16 takeaways this season. They had four sacks and three interceptions against Spencer Rattler.

Montez Sweat set the tone with an early strip-sack that led to a field goal. Nahshon Wright set up the game’s first touchdown with a long interception return, and the Bears (4-2) overcame a spotty performance by Caleb Williams to match their best streak since the 2018 NFC North championship team closed the regular season with four straight wins. They also had a much easier time after winning 25-24 at both Las Vegas and Washington.

New Orleans (1-6) continued its worst start since opening 1-7 in 1999 under then-coach Mike Ditka, the Hall of Famer and Super Bowl-winning coach with the Bears.

“We can’t stop," running back Alvin Kamara said. "We got to find some energy, find some inspiration. Everybody got to just dig deep and find that want-to.”

Williams completed 15 of 26 passes for 172 yards and an interception. But Chicago got huge contributions in the run game, racking up 222 yards on the ground.

D’Andre Swift, coming off a 108-yard outing against Washington, ran for a season-high 124 yards and a touchdown.

Rookie Kyle Monangai added a career-high 81 yards and a touchdown, helping Chicago stop an eight-game losing streak against the Saints. They hadn’t beaten New Orleans since 2008.

Rattler was 20 of 32 for 233 yards while throwing three interceptions.

Chris Olave caught five passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns. His 57-yard reception near the end of the first half set up a 21-yard TD, and he hauled in a 14-yarder on the opening drive of the third quarter to pull the Saints within 20-14.

Kamara said the Bears didn't pressure as much as he expected, but Allen picked the right moments to dial it up.

"He does well with the things he wants to get to,” he said. “Got those guys playing physically, and they’re playing pretty sound defense.”

The Bears held New Orleans to 13 yards before a 91-yard touchdown drive near the end of the half. Olave beat cornerback Tyrique Stevenson on a 57-yard reception to the 21, and he hauled in a 21-yard touchdown two plays later, cutting it to 20-7 in the closing minute.

The Saints went 80 yards for a touchdown on the opening drive of the second half, with Olave's 14-yarder cutting it to 20-14.

Chicago then drove from the 28 to the 1, only to settle for a field goal by Jake Moody after center Drew Dalman got flagged for a false start when he double-clutched on a fourth-down snap at the goal line.

Moody, filling in for the second straight game with Cairo Santos sidelined by a quad injury, added a 33-yarder midway through the fourth, making it 26-14, and Edmunds intercepted a tipped pass thrown by Rattler to help seal the win.

Saints: RB Kendre Miller (knee) and C Erik McCoy (biceps) left the game, and coach Kellen Moore said there's “concern for both those guys.”

Bears: Stevenson (shoulder) and TE Cole Kmet (back) exited the game.

Saints: Host Tampa Bay next Sunday.

Bears: At Baltimore next Sunday.

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