Down by two scores with one second left in the first half on Thursday night, the Patriots didn’t even attempt a Hail Mary. Not even close, actually.
But they still ended up in the end zone.
With one second remaining on the clock in the second quarter of “Thursday Night Football” at Soldier Field in Chicago, New England quarterback Drake Maye dumped off a pass to running back Rhamondre Stevenson roughly just one or two yards in the air.
New England Patriots’ Rhamondre Stevenson (38) runs the ball after a catch to score a 48-yard touchdown against the Chicago Bears during the second quarter of an NFL football game at Soldier Field in Chicago on Oct. 22, 2026. Getty Images
New England Patriots’ Rhamondre Stevenson (38) and Efton Chism III (86) celebrate after Stevenson scored a touchdown on a pass play during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears in Chicago on Oct. 23, 2026. AP Photo/David Banks
Stevenson, with plenty of open grass in front of him, got one block and then cut toward the inside of the field around the 20-yard line. Without even attempting to lateral, Stevenson ran right into the end zone untouched for what was a 48-yard catch-and-run touchdown. With the point after, the Patriots went into halftime down by six.
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“Look at him go!” Prime Video play-by-play announcer Al Michaels said in astonishment. “Can you believe this? Touchdown!”
Despite their best efforts, the Patriots fell 30-24.
Stevenson, 28, came into the game with two touchdowns this season, both of which came on the ground. It marked his first regular-season receiving score since Week 18 last season, though he did have a touchdown through the air in Super Bowl 2026’s loss to the Seahawks.
His 93 yards on five receptions were the most for New England in the game.
New England, which started the year 1-2, came into “TNF” as the winners of three straight games after knocking off the rival Jets at home on Sunday. The loss drops the Pats to 4-3.
