The New England Patriots are off to Chicago for their second prime time game of the season. The Bears will present a formidable challenge, not only because the game is taking place at Soldier Field on a short week: they have played some impressive football this season en route to their 4-2 record.
That being said, we are — no pun intended — a bit bearish on the team particularly on defense. Likewise, even with their current injury questions we can see the Patriots emerge victoriously. A look at our
weekly head-to-head comparison shows why.
Passing game
Patriots pass offense vs. Bears pass defense: Yes, the Patriots will be without their starting guards. Yes, Morgan Moses is questionable. Yes, the Patriots just placed Romeo Doubs on injured reserve. We still feel confident in the Patriots’ ability to find success against a Bears pass defense missing its two most disruptive and likely one of its starting linebackers as well. The middle of the field is an area that can be attacked, A.J. Brown should be better than he was last week, and as long as New England’s blocking holds up against the blitz and ageless wonder Grady Jarrett, we do believe the team can scheme around its personnel shortcomings and continue to operate at a winning level. Of course, having Drake Maye helps as well. | Edge: Patriots
Patriots pass defense vs. Bears pass offense: Caleb Williams is a pretty good quarterback, and he has some talented players around him to throw to. And yet, we like the Patriots pass defense in this matchup. It starts up front, with an offensive line that has had its ups and downs in pass protection and will go up against an aggressive unit anchored by the likes of Milton Williams and Christian Barmore. In the secondary, a lot will depend on how New England defends tight end Colston Loveland and if Charles Woods can continue his hot streak as a replacement starter. We do believe Loveland will be kept in check, and Woods not exploited. Make no mistake, though, the Bears pass offense will win its battles. The war, however, should be won by the visitors. | Edge: Patriots
Patriots fans, join the game-day huddle!
Follow every snap and discuss every decision with fellow fans on the SB Nation app.
- Connect through our live game chat
- Browse with fewer ads
- Seamlessly move between communities
- Enjoy faster commenting and posting
Download the SB Nation app on iOS or Android.
Running game
Patriots rushing offense vs. Bears run defense: On paper, this reads like a battle between a very stoppable force and an immensely movable object. And it very well might turn out that way: neither unit has stood out so far this season, and one’s edge might be more the result of the other’s shortcomings. With that said, we think the Patriots do have a chance to perform well in the run game even with Walter Rouse and Matt Pryor as their new starting guard duo. Chicago simply doesn’t have the quality in the middle outside of the aforementioned Grady Jarrett, particularly if focused heavily on stopping Drake Maye. | Edge: Patriots
Patriots run defense vs. Bears rushing offense: Chicago will be without its No. 2 running back, Kyle Monangai, but D’Andre Swift is more than capable of creating problems on his own. And problems, the Patriots run defense has had this season. And it doesn’t look like there will be a quick or easy fix either, which in turn means that the Bears could be able to put pressure on New England. Lapses similar to the ones Zak Kuhr’s unit had against the Jets — missed tackles, insufficient angles — won’t cut it against a team that ranks first in rushing attempts this season and is certain to keep pounding the rock, and in creative ways. | Edge: Bears
Special teams
The Patriots and Bears are both entering Thursday night among the best kicking game performers so far this season. They also are facing the same questions, with both teams’ kickers having missed three of their attempts thus far. So, who gets the edge? Statistically, Chicago has been slightly better this year so far in categories such as coverage and return. That being said, New England’s numbers are impacted by not having Brenden Schooler on the active roster for four of six games and by teams trying to neutralize Marcus Jones. No team has a clear edge in this matchup. | Edge: N/A
Coaching
The Jets (and their own injury situation) turned out to be quite the challenge for the Patriots last week. At the end of the day, though, they still found a way to emerge victoriously. The coaching staff’s ability to adapt and adjust its plans along the way played a big role in that, and it is also why we feel confident in Mike Vrabel and company on a short week as well. Even with the questions along the offensive line, New England has shown the ability to work around potential vulnerabilities already this season. | Edge: Patriots
Verdict
Even though we give the Patriots an edge in four of six categories, we do not automatically think this will be a clear-cut New England victory. Far from it: all those picks can be disputed, and we actually feel most confident in the one going to the home team (Patriots run defense vs. Bears rushing offense). We do see a path to victory for Mike Vrabel’s team even if the circumstances make for a difficult assignment this week, but it will need high-level performances especially from the backups inserted into the lineup and a coaching staff responsible for not putting them in disadvantageous situations.
