Chicago Bears vs New England Patriots – Week 10 Game Preview: Overview, Keys to Game, Insights
The Bears (4-4) are reeling after two consecutive road losses knocked them back to the .500 mark. They played poorly in both games, but, were particularly lifeless against the Cardinals last week getting blasted 29-9. Head coach Matt Eberflus has come under withering criticism for his teams’ disappointing effort.
To make things even worse for Chicago, several key injuries have hit the defense and the offensive line. Defensive backs Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker statuses are uncertain and both the starting and back up left tackles are questionable for the next game. The biggest blow came when outstanding defensive tackle Andrew Billings was lost for the season in Arizona with a torn pectoral.
The Bears finally catch a break when they return to Soldier Field for a matchup with the Patriots (2-7) this Sunday afternoon. New England is one of the worst teams in the NFL, entering a total rebuild after 20 years of dominance under Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.
The Pats have finally tapped first round pick Drake Maye to take over as starting quarterback after beginning the year with veteran Jacoby Brissett under center the first five games. It’s a unit that badly needs a shakeup averaging just 264.8 yards per contest and an anemic 15.7 points per game. Maye provides a much more dynamic set of skills than his predecessor with a big arm and excellent speed.
The best skill player on the New England roster is running back Rhamondre Stevenson who has six touchdowns but fumbles have been a real issue in 2024 with four. Several key defensive players have been traded away during the year and the unit has struggled giving up 361.1 yards per game although they have only allowed 24.1 points per game.
This is a big opportunity for the Bears to right the ship a bit before their schedule gets very difficult the rest of the season. Caleb Williams has struggled recently and could definitely benefit from having a good game to get his confidence back up. If they can’t pick up a victory here they could really go into a tailspin, so it’s probably best to avoid that and get the win.
Where to Watch/Listen
- Sunday, November 10 at 12:00pm CT on FOX, WBBM Radio (English), and WRTO Radio (Spanish).
Keys to Victory
Here are my keys to Sunday’s game. If these things happen, the Bears should have a shot to win.
- Come prepared to play. Chicago has been completely unprepared for the last two games. It’s been a problem all season long and appears to be getting worse. It’s on the coaches and the players to be ready for this one.
- Establish the running game. Williams has been forced to throw way too many passes in the last two games. With the offensive line struggling it would be better to limit the amount of times the rookie QB has to drop back.
- Take advantage of Maye’s mistakes. The Patriots quarterback can make things happen but he is also prone to turnovers with four interceptions in just 125 pass attempts. The Bears have to jump on those chances when they pop up.
Don’t Tell Me the Odds
Chicago is favored by six points at home against a bad New England team. Vegas expects a very low-scoring affair with an over/under set at 38.5.
It’s Football Weather
It’s going to be a very pleasant Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field with a high temperature of 63 with partly cloudy skies and a 13 mile-an-hour wind out of the southwest.
My Prediction
I think the Bears start slow again and have more trouble than they should with the Patriots. Eventually, Williams will connect on a couple of touchdowns and Chicago will take home a 24-13 win.
Official Bears Preview
Former Patriots standout Rob Ninkovich joins Jeff Joniak and Tom Thayer on the latest episode of the Bears, etc. Podcast for an engaging conversation about his roots in the Chicagoland area and his journey through the NFL. Plus, get an exclusive, in-depth preview of this Sunday’s showdown between the Bears and the Patriots.
