Bears' Hail Mary comes up 1 yard short as Patriots hang on for win

The Chicago Bears needed 55 yards. They got 54.

Trailing 38-31, quarterback Mitchell Trubisky heaved a Hail Mary attempt that was caught by Kevin White at the 1-yard line, but the receiver was gang tackled by New England Patriots defenders before he could cross the end zone as time expired.

The game was a back-and-forth shootout for much of the day, with the Bears scoring a touchdown on a Trey Burton touchdown grab with 4:13 to play to cut the deficit to seven points. Still, the Patriots defense allowed the Bears to get opportunity after opportunity but ultimately held off in a bend-but-don’t-break performance.

The Bears gained 453 total yards, converted eight of their 16 third-down attempts, and turned all four of their trips into the red zone into touchdowns.

The Patriots, however, generated enough explosive plays of their own to keep a slim margin over Chicago.

The Patriots improved to 5-2 and seized complete control of first place in the AFC East with the Miami Dolphins falling 32-21 to the Detroit Lions. The Bears, meanwhile, slid to 3-3 and are tied for last place in the NFC North.

Follow Lorenzo Reyes on Twitter @LorenzoGReyes.