Deonte Thompson returned a missed Arizona field goal 109 yards for a touchdown as the first half ended and the Chicago Bears held on to beat the Cardinals 24-23 in a preseason game Saturday night. Phil Dawson, who has never kicked one longer than 56 yards in his 18 NFL seasons, attempted a 63-yarder with a second to play in the half and was short and wide right. Thompson fielded the miss a step inside the end line and dodged tackles all the way downfield for the score. Mike Glennon, just 2 for 8 for 20 yards last week in Chicago’s preseason opener, played the entire first half, completing 13 of 18 passes for 89 yards and a touchdown with one interception.
After Arizona recovered a late onside kick attempt, Blaine Gabbert threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Ross with nine seconds to play, but the two-point conversion try fell incomplete.
Chicago rookie Mitchell Trubisky played most of the second half and was 6 of 8 for 60 yards and a score. The Bears were up 3-0 and had driven to the Arizona 11 when Tyrann Mathieu stepped in front of intended receiver Kendall Wright, picked off Glennon’s pass and returned it 52 yards to the Chicago 43.
The Cardinals needed 11 plays to drive for the touchdown. Chris Johnson was stuffed on third-and-goal from the 1 but Arizona went for it on fourth down. Palmer found tight end Jermaine Gresham in the back of the end zone and the Cardinals led 7-3.
After Chicago held Arizona’s second offensive unit deep in its own territory, Glennon directed the Bears on a six-play, 44-yard drive, capped by a 7-yard touchdown pass to Wright to make it 10-7 with 36 seconds left in the half. David Johnson barely played for Arizona, gaining 3 yards in three carries. Palmer was 9 for 14 for 67 yards and a touchdown. Gabbert played the entire second half, completing 14 of 25 for 174 yards with one interception. He ran 4 yards for a score.
