CHICAGO — The Chicago Bears’ showing against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday was more about big defense and special teams plays than it was the magic of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, but the Bears still emerged from their season opener victorious.

Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson had a pick-six against Titans quarterback Will Levis and safety Jonathan Owens scored on a blocked punt to drive a 24-17 win. Cornerback Jaylon Johnson intercepted Levis on the Titans’ final drive to seal the win.

Those plays picked up the Bears offense and Williams in his bumpy NFL debut. Williams completed 14-of-29 passes for 92 yards and had five carries for 15 yards. He led three field-goal drives, but the offense didn’t get in the end zone.

The Bears trailed all game until Stevenson intercepted Levis and returned it 43 yards for a touchdown with 7 minutes, 35 seconds to play. When Williams hit D’Andre Swift for a 2-point conversion pass, the Bears led 24-17.

DeMarcus Walker hit Levis to force the flip that Stevenson scooped out of the air. He ran untouched to the end zone.

After a rough first half, the Bears finally got the Soldier Field crowd going with a special teams play in the third quarter.

After the defense stopped the Titans at their 33-yard line, defensive end Daniel Hardy broke through to block Ryan Stonehouse’s punt. Owens picked it up and ran 21 yards for a touchdown to cut the Titans lead to 17-10.

It was the Bears’ first blocked punt returned for a touchdown since Corey Wootton did it in 2012 against the Titans.

The defense came up with another big stop on the Titans’ next drive, but the offense totaled minus-3 yards on the next drive.

Kicker Cairo Santos cut the Titans lead to 17-13 with a 50-yard field goal at the beginning of the fourth quarter. On third-and-2 at the 32-yard line, Williams fumbled the snap but picked it up and then overthrew Keenan Allen in the end zone to force the field goal.

Santos made a 48-yarder a few minutes later to cut it to 17-16. Defensive end Darrell Taylor had a strip-sack of Levis, and T.J. Edwards recovered at the Titans 31 to set up the drive.

A Coleman Shelton holding penalty set the Bears back, and they settled for the field goal.

Here’s how the game unfolded:

Inactives: Darrell Taylor is in, Roschon Johnson and Tyler Scott are out

Defensive ends Montez Sweat, DeMarcus Walker and Darrell Taylor are all active for the Bears on Sunday after battling injuries during the week.

Sweat has been dealing with a toe injury, while Walker has a groin issue. Taylor had his foot stepped on during practice on Thursday and sat out Friday. He worked out on the field before the game, and all three will suit up for the Bears.

Wide receiver Keenan Allen (heel) also will play.

Defensive tackle Zacch Pickens was ruled out Friday because of a groin injury, and running back Roschon Johnson, who has a toe injury, also is out.

Rookie offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie, who spent much of training camp recovering from a quadriceps injury, is inactive. Amegadjie also dealt with an oblique injury during the week.

Notable healthy scratches include wide receiver Tyler Scott and defensive end Dominique Robinson. Linebacker Noah Sewell and offensive lineman Bill Murray also are inactive.

For the Titans, safety Jamal Adams, linebackers Otis Reese IV and Ali Gaye, offensive lineman John Ojukwu and tight ends David Martin-Robinson and Thomas Odukoya are inactive.

Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who is playing through an MCL tear, is active.

Halftime: Bears trail 17-3 after ugly opening 30 minutes

The Bears turned in a dud of a first half in the season opener at Soldier Field.

The offense under new quarterback Caleb Williams netted 50 yards in four drives. “Hard Knocks” star Velus Jones Jr. fumbled a kickoff that led to a Titans field goal. And the defense gave up two touchdown drives as the Titans led 17-3 at halftime.

Williams completed 8-of-13 passes for 52 yards with no touchdowns or turnovers. Titans quarterback Will Levis was 9 of 15 for 67 yards and one touchdown, and running back Tony Pollard had nine carries for 64 yards and a touchdown.

The Bears had a chance to get in the end zone on their final drive of the half after DeAndre Carter’s 67-yard kickoff return got them to the Titans 34-yard line. They got to the 11 after Williams threw a pass to DJ Moore that deflected into the air. Rome Odunze caught the deflection and fumbled, but Bears left guard Teven Jenkins recovered.

After a 5-yard pass to Cole Kmet, Keenan Allen dropped what would have been a touchdown pass, and Williams’ third-down pass was batted down at the line. The Bears settled for Cairo Santos’ 24-yard field goal for their only points of the half.

After going three-and-out on their first drive, the Bears reached the Titans 25 on their second drive. But Williams took a 19-yard loss on a sack that eventually killed the drive. Keondre Coburn blew by center Coleman Shelton to pressure Williams, and Sebastian Joseph-Day finished with a sack.

The Bears later replaced right guard Nate Davis with Ryan Bates.

The Bears defense held the Titans to 5 net yards on their first two drives, but the Titans broke through on their third possession. Pollard had runs of 14 and 7 yards and then broke through a big hole for a 26-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

Jones fumbled the ensuing kickoff and kicked the ball forward, and Titans running back Julius Chestnut recovered at the Bears 23. Four plays later, Nick Folk made a 40-yard field goal to give the Titans a 10-0 lead.

The Titans pulled ahead 17-0 on Levis’ 17-yard touchdown pass to Chig Okonkwo.

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