ATLANTA – After missing three games with a hamstring injury, quarterback Caleb Williams made a triumphant return Sunday in Atlanta, leading the Bears to a 31-23 win over the Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Williams engineered touchdown drives on the Bears' first two possessions, completing 10 of 10 passes for 122 yards and one TD in staking them to an early 14-0 lead they never relinquished. He finished the game connecting on 30 of 36 passes for 305 yards with one TD and a 111.2 passer rating.

The Bears led 31-7 early in the fourth quarter. But the Falcons eventually made it a one-score game at 31-23 after a pair of touchdowns and two-point conversions. But Kyler Gordon, seeing his first action of the season, preserved the win with a strip-sack of quarterback Michael Penix Jr. that resulted in a fumble Devin Bush recovered at the Falcons' 28 with 2:54 remaining.

Activated from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list Saturday, Gordon recorded 3.0 sacks and forced two fumbles in the game.

The defense played without ends Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo, linebacker T.J. Edwards and cornerback Tyrique Stevenson.

The Bears' special teams unit generated two takeaways: one on a recovered muffed punt that swung the momentum in the first half, and the second via a forced and recovered fumble on a second-half kickoff return.

The Bears took a 7-0 lead on the game's opening possession on Williams' 14-yard touchdown pass to Colston Loveland. Williams escaped pressure in the pocket, rolled to his right and threaded the needle between two defenders to Loveland, who hung on despite absorbing a big hit by safety Jesse Bates III.

Williams completed 6 of 6 passes for 64 yards on the drive, which was sustained by a brilliantly designed and perfectly executed hook-and-ladder play. On third-and-11 from the Atlanta 42, Williams threw a short pass to Rome Odunze, who lateraled to Roschon Johnson for a 12-yard gain and a first down.

After the Bears defense forced a three-and-out, the offense marched 59 yards on nine plays to extend the lead to 14-0 on D'Andre Swift's 4-yard TD run on third-and-goal. Williams completed passes of 23 yards to Odunze and 25 yards to Luther Burden III on the drive.

At that point in the game, the Bears had outgained the Falcons 154-1.

The Bears defense then forced the Falcons to turn the ball over on downs. On third-and-4 from the Chicago 42, Bush and Gordon dropped running back Brian Robinson Jr. for a 1-yard loss. On fourth-and-5, James Lynch batted down a Michael Penix Jr. pass.

The Bears were unable to extend their lead, however, as Cairo Santos missed a 56-yard field goal wide left.

The Falcons responded as Penix connected with receiver Drake London for a 39-yard gain on the next play and then hit receiver Jahan Dotson with a 13-yard TD pass three plays later, cutting the deficit to 14-7 with 5:45 left in the first half.

Atlanta seemed to have the momentum when it forced the Bears to punt. But Zachariah Branch muffed the punt after calling a fair catch, and Josh Blackwell recovered the loose ball at the Falcons' 10.

Three plays later, the Bears extended their lead to 21-7 on Swift's 2-yard run on third-and-goal with 1:26 remaining in the half.

The Bears defense stopped the Falcons twice on the opening possession of the third quarter. First, blitzing safety Dillon Thieneman's third-down sack of Penix, the first of his NFL career, forced a punt. But Jahdae Walker's roughing-the-punter penalty gave Atlanta a first down. Then on fourth-and-3 from the Chicago 28, Jaylon Johnson broke up a pass intended for receiver Drake London, turning the ball over on downs.

Roschon Johnson followed by powering into the end zone for a 4-yard TD, extending the Bears' lead to 28-7 with 1:48 left in the third quarter.

On the ensuing kickoff, Zavier Scott stripped the ball from Branch, and Nick McCloud recovered the fumble at the Falcons' 31. The Bears converted the takeaway into points, widening the margin to 31-7 on Santos' 50-yard field goal.

The Falcons then staged a furious rally. They drew to within 31-15 on Penix's 10-yard TD pass to tight end Kyle Pitts and two-point conversion pass to Branch with 9:34 to play. After Roschon Johnson lost a fumble, Atlanta made it 31-23 on Penix's 5-yard TD pass to Pitts and two-point conversion pass to London with 5:41 to play. But the defense rebounded with Gordon's third sack and Bush's fumble recovery, and the offense was able to run out the clock to secure the win.

The Bears will look to move to 5-2 Thursday night when they host the Patriots at Soldier Field.