The Bears got four more turnovers from their defense, ran the ball at will and held off the New Orleans Saints 26-14 on Sunday at Soldier Field for their fourth win in a row.

Three moments that mattered

1. Better lucky than good: After the Saints pulled to within 20-14 early in the second half, the Bears answered thanks to some good fortune. Quarterback Caleb Williams drove the Bears 74 yards to the Saints 1, then fumbled the snap on fourth-and-goal. Fortunately for the Bears, center Drew Dalman double-clutched the snap and was flagged for a false start. Given new life, the Bears decided to kick the field goal, and Jake Moody knocked the ball through from 24 yards out.

2. Big-play Nahshon: A pass interference on Bears safety Jaquan Brisker bailed out the Saints on third-and-28 in the second quarter. Two plays later, cornerback Nahshon Wright, he of the pick-six against Minnesota in the season opener, intercepted Spencer Rattler and returned the ball 39 yards to the Saints 30. The Bears took advantage, scoring four plays later on D’Andre Swift’s 11-yard touchdown run.

3. First-series takeaway: Montez Sweat’s strip/sack of Rattler on the Saints’ opening drive was his second forced fumble in as many games and set the tone. It also was the Bears’ 13th turnover of the season (second best in the league coming into Sunday). Gervon Dexter Sr. recovered at the Saints 24. The Bears settled for Moody’s 27-yard field goal, giving them a lead they never relinquished.

Three things that worked

1. Sacks from the secondary: It took the Bears’ defense six games, but they finally got pressure on the quarterback with blitzes from the secondary. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, the Saints’ former head coach, called the numbers of cornerback Kyler Gordon and safety Brisker, and the former 2022 draft picks delivered with big plays. Gordon blew past running back Alvin Kamara and sacked Rattler for a four-yard loss early in the second quarter. Brisker then ran over Kamara and dropped Rattler for a nine-yard loss.

2. Run game: Have the Bears found their running game and, maybe more importantly, an offensive line that can consistently create space? For the second game in a row, the Bears ran the ball consistently and effectively behind Theo Benedet, Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, Jonah Jackson and Darnell Wright. The Bears rushed for 94 yards in the first half. Swift (19 carries, season-best 124 yards, TD) had his second 100-yard rushing effort in a row. Rookie Kyle Monangai had a season-best 81 yards and a TD on 13 carries. The Bears finished with 222 yards on the ground.

3. Run defense: Kamara is a five-time Pro Bowler, but the Bears kept him from making explosive plays. He finished with 28 yards on 11 carries and never got going.

Three things that didn’t

1. End of first half: Sweat and Wright stopped Kamara for a one-yard loss on fourth-and-1 from the Bears 42 late in the first half. The Bears offense then fizzled immediately. The Saints took over at their own 9-yard line after Tory Taylor’s punt. Rattler threw deep to Chris Olave for 57 yards, beating Tyrique Stevenson. Rattler then hit a leaping Olave in the end zone from 21 yards out, capping a five-play, 91-second drive and putting the Saints on the scoreboard with 22 seconds on the clock.

2. Discipline: The Bears dominated, despite another game in which they were flagged too many times. They were penalized six times for 72 yards in the first half, yet led 20-7. Brisker and Gordon were too aggressive on second-quarter Saints possessions and called for roughing penalties. Benedet (twice) and tight end Cole Kmet were called for false starts. Defensive tackle Andrew Billings was called for a hold that kept alive the Saints’ scoring drive early in the third quarter. The Bears finished with 10 penalties for 92 yards.

3. Williams’ start: The Bears QB needed a mulligan. Defensive end Chase Young tipped two short passes early, almost intercepting the first. Williams fumbled a shotgun snap on the Bears’ second series. The Bears’ third possession ended with Williams locking on his receiver downfield and getting intercepted by rookie cornerback Quincy Riley.

What’s next?

The red-hot Bears (4-2) head to Baltimore for a noon kickoff Sunday against the defending AFC North champion Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens are 1-5 but will be coming off their bye week.