What experts are predicting for Sunday’s Patriots-Bears game
The Patriots are six-point underdogs in the battle of highly-touted rookie quarterbacks.
COMMENTARY
Are the injury-depleted Kansas City Chiefs really going to make a run at 20-0?
Sadly, we won’t have Mercury Morris around for this latest chase at NFL perfection, which, you know, hasn’t been accomplished since the 1972 Miami Dolphins went 16-0. You might remember the New England Patriots once went 18-1. There was a banner.
That Patriots team was so good, they turned the NFL into Soccer Mommies clutching their pearls over New England “running up the score” on everybody. These Chiefs, sans Isiah Pacheco, Rashee Rice, and Hollywood Brown due to injuries, keep squeaking past everyone mainly only because of a stalwart defense and, of course, Patrick Mahomes.
Mahomes injured his ankle in an overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday, so it will be interesting to see how that might limit him against the Denver Broncos on Sunday. From what we’ve seen from Mahomes over the years, it will probably affect him very little.
Next week against the Buffalo Bills could be the real swing game as the Chiefs will meet perhaps their biggest rivals for the Super Bowl. After that, it’s Carolina, Las Vegas, San Diego (I know), Cleveland, Houston, Pittsburgh, and Denver, again, in the way of 17-0.
One thing we definitely don’t need is an ’07 Patriot to take the place of the late Morris, boasting of past “accomplishments.” Things are embarrassing enough around here these days.
This week’s predictions:
Chicago Sun-Times staff: All six go with the hometown team. Columnist Rick Telander predicts a 21-19 score. “Like the fool who does the same thing over and over expecting different results, I’m picking the Bears. They can’t be as bad as my sane side tells me they are.”
Globe staff: Four of six go with Chicago (-6).
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: Bears 27, Patriots 16. “The Bears have lost two straight road games, while the Patriots are playing a second straight road game after losing to the Titans last week. Drake Maye turned it over three times in that game. This Bears defense will test him even more. Look for the Bears to get back on track here. Caleb Williams plays better in the battle of the rookies.”
CBS Sports staff: Split (Bears -6).
NFL.com staff: All Bears.
Jimmy Kempski, PhillyVoice: Bears (-6). “This Bears team isn’t good, and they’re going to lose a lot of games down the stretch when their schedule gets harder. This is their last easy game of the season.”
Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times: Bears 21, Patriots 14. “Chicago might be struggling on offense, but New England’s soft defense could be the ideal cure. The sharpest focus will be on two athletic rookie quarterbacks. There are some real positives to the Patriots’ Drake Maye.”
Vic Tafur, The Athletic: Bears (-6). “The Bears have three receivers in the top 10 … for highest inaccurate target rates for players with 25-plus targets. Rome Odunze (22.7 percent) is sixth, Keenan Allen (21.4) is eighth and DJ Moore (20.0) is 10th. Yikes. Part of the issue has been Caleb Williams being constantly harassed by pass rushers. Luckily for him, the Patriots often decline that option. The Patriots rank 30th in EPA per pass at -0.16 and 28th in pressure percentage at 29.6 percent. They also can’t stop the run. On the other side of the ball, Rhamondre Stevenson has had a resurgence of late, but Drake Maye won’t have time to do much besides hand him the ball. The Bears’ pass rush against a leaky Patriots offensive line is the biggest mismatch in this game. The Bears rank first in EPA per pass (0.18), second in EPA per play (0.14) and third in opposing passer rating (77.2). This is a great bounce-back spot after not showing up against the Cardinals.”
Greg Cote, Miami Herald: Bears 20, Patriots 17. “Chicago is 4-0 at The Solider and should saddle the home field to end a two-game skid owing to bad run defense. Caleb Williams vs. Drake Maye in a battle of baby arms spices the matchup. Bears risk lookahead-mode with rival Green Bay on deck in Week 11, so bet Pats stay inside the number in a points-shy affair.”
ESPN staff: Eight of 11 go with Chicago.
MMQB staff: Four of six go with the Bears.
Vinnie Iyer, The Sporting News: Bears 24, Patriots 20. “Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft, was outdueled by the No. 2 pick, Daniels, on a game-winning Hail Mary on the road two weeks ago. Williams will try to move to 3-0 at home against Drake Maye, the No. 3 overall pick. Chicago and London are the only sites of Bears’ wins this season, as they are a much better young home team for Matt Eberflus. They should also get back on track with the running game and overall defense, although Maye and the inspired Patriots can make it tough for four quarters.”
Bill Bender, The Sporting News: Bears 21, Patriots 16. “The Bears are trying to stop a two-game skid, and the defense has had problems against the run in that stretch (190.5 yards per game). The matchup between rookie quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Drake Maye will hinge on turnovers. The Bears are 3-0 S/U at home, and this is a chance to build up some momentum ahead of a matchup with Green Bay in Week 11.”
Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk: Bears 24, Patriots 16.
Chris Simms, Pro Football Talk: Bears 24, Patriots 16.
It says here: Bears 27, Patriots 24. Another winnable game thwarted by another series of dubious decisions made from the sideline. Chicago, like mostly everybody else, will have its “get-right” game against New England.
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