Bears' Cole Kmet hauls in 2 touchdown passes from Caleb Williams.
Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff Writer
LONDON -- Cole Kmet got things rolling with a bang.
On the Bears' third drive, quarterback Caleb Williams faked a pass to his left and then right, connecting with Kmet for a 31-yard touchdown over the middle. The tight end dodged two ankle tackles to score, marking the Bears' first lead of the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. It was also the second-longest touchdown of his career.
However, what happened next likely added some pressure to Kmet’s day.
After long-snapper Scott Daly suffered a knee injury during the Bears' second punt, Kmet, who serves as the emergency long-snapper, began warming up on the sidelines. Following his touchdown, he stayed on the field to snap for the extra point, putting the Bears up 7-3 with 11:17 left in the second quarter.
Williams orchestrated a 10-play, 85-yard drive before halftime, showcasing his mobility with two key first downs: a 23-yard scramble to midfield right before the two-minute warning and a 19-yard run to set up a goal-line situation. Once again, he found Kmet in the end zone, extending the Bears' lead to 14-3.
Bears coach Matt Eberflus noted at halftime that Kmet practices long-snapping every Thursday.
"I think he might be the first guy in history to have two touchdowns and two snaps," Eberflus quipped.
In the third quarter, Williams added a third touchdown pass, connecting with Keenan Allen for a 9-yard score. This made him the first Bears rookie since Cade McNown in 1999 to throw three touchdowns in a game.
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