The Bears may be catching the Patriots at the right time in more than one spot Thursday night.
Chicago and New England both released injury reports to open the short week, and the difference was stark. The Bears listed six players on an estimation report because they did not hold an official practice. The Patriots, on the other hand, had 17 players on their injury report.
That matters most up front, where New England could be shorthanded in a major way. Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said Tuesday that both starting guards, Ben Brown and Alijah Vera-Tucker, are likely out for this one.
There’s also uncertainty around right tackle Morgan Moses. Vrabel said Moses has a chance to play, but if he can’t go, New England could be down three starting offensive linemen.
If that happens, first-round pick Caleb Lomu would be asked to step in at one of those spots. Lomu has enough versatility to handle the job, but he wouldn’t erase the impact of losing three starters. Chicago could also see a familiar name in Matt Pryor, who may be in line to start.
That sets up a big night for a Bears defense that has been living in the backfield on blitzes. Chicago has 17.0 sacks through six games, the fourth-most in the league. Dennis Allen’s pressure packages have already produced moments, and his use of Kyler Gordon in his first game back stood out as one of the team’s sharpest defensive sequences of the season.
Gordon isn’t the only piece Allen can send after the quarterback, either. The Bears have also used players like Dillon Thieneman and Clark Phillips on defensive back blitzes, which could create real problems for a Patriots line already dealing with injuries. That kind of heat would put plenty on Drake Maye.
There’s another reason Chicago’s defense may not be dealing with a fully sharp version of New England’s passing game. A.J.
Brown, back from a high-ankle sprain last weekend, didn’t look anywhere close to 100 percent. He was charged with four dropped passes depending on which outlet you trust, but from a visual standpoint it looked like four.
More than that, he moved like a player still shaking off the rust.
Brown has a history of punishing the Bears. Last season with the Eagles, he went for 132 yards and two touchdowns in Chicago’s win over Philadelphia.
At full strength, he’s the kind of receiver who can wreck a game. But after that return, he didn’t look like himself, and the Bears may not need to treat him that way on Thursday.
New England will still have to lean on other targets if Brown isn’t fully right. With Romeo Doubs on injured reserve and Mack Hollins also hurt, the Patriots could need more from Demario Douglas, Kyle Williams, and Efton Chism alongside Brown.
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The larger question now is what that means for Thursday night against New England, where Chicago could be forced to lean on Johnson again if Monangai is still sidelined. His workload against the Falcons at least put him back into the conversation, even if the final moments of the game left a reminder that the Bears still have some sorting out to do in the backfield. [Read more 🡒]