Hunter Henry is in position to keep building on his recent rise when the Patriots visit the Bears on Thursday night, and the matchup points to another busy night for the tight end.
For much of the early season, New England’s offense drew plenty of questions. The concerns were there before Week 1, and after the opener, many felt justified in worrying about what the group might look like without more offseason help.
Even with the addition of A.J. Brown, Drake Maye and the rest of the offense struggled against their Super Bowl opponent in the rematch, and that rough stretch carried over into the following weeks.
Henry, meanwhile, was easy to miss at the start. Outside of the worries surrounding the receiving corps, especially after Brown went to injured reserve with an ankle sprain, Henry had nearly disappeared from view despite serving as Maye’s security blanket over the last two years.
That changed in Week 4, when the Patriots went on the road and beat the Bills. It was also the game in which Maye delivered his best performance of the season, and Henry’s resurgence became one of the big talking points afterward. Since then, his involvement on game day has only gone up.
He’s now secured his place in Patriots franchise history, and the Bears present a chance for him to add to that. Chicago has struggled against tight ends this season, which gives the Patriots a clear avenue to attack.
Josh McDaniels should have plenty of reason to lean into that weakness. Henry gives Maye a reliable target and an easy way to move the chains, especially in a game where the offense may need quick answers against a solid opponent.
That fits neatly with what the Bears have given up. Their most glaring issue is a league-worst completion rate of 78% against multiple tight-end formations. McDaniels has long been comfortable using those looks when he has the personnel, and Henry’s trust level, along with the way rookie Eli Raridon has performed so far, makes this the kind of week to lean harder into that package.
The Patriots can also mix in other options if they want to keep leaning on 13 personnel. Cameron Latu, a free-agent addition, has mostly been used on special teams, while rookie Tanner Arkin flashed enough over the summer to earn a roster spot. Either player could help New England keep the Bears off balance while also easing pressure on an offensive line that’s already banged up.
That’s the kind of matchup advantage McDaniels can’t really ignore. A road win over a good Bears team would say plenty about where the Patriots are headed, and Henry’s current run gives them another reason to feature him heavily.
Over the last two weeks, McDaniels has already shown he’s willing to “get in his bag,” mixing in sharp play-calling and trick plays that didn’t feel forced. On a short week, with a defense that has a clear weakness against tight ends, the Patriots may need exactly that kind of creativity - and Henry in the middle of it.
In Other News...
Drake Maye Faces His Biggest Test Since Heating Up
Drake Maye has turned a corner for New England at just the right time, and Sundays matchup with Chicago gives the Patriots another chance to see how real that growth is. Over the last stretch, Maye has looked far more comfortable attacking downfield, and that development matters against a Bears defense that has had trouble holding up on deeper throws. On the other side, Caleb Williams has been working through his own learning curve while operating Chicagos offense with a shorter passing profile than the kind that can stress a secondary vertically.
For New England, the test is less about whether Maye can keep making the routine plays and more about whether he can keep forcing defenses out of their comfort zone when the windows get tighter. Chicagos availability on the back end adds another layer to the matchup, and the Patriots will be watching closely to see whether their young quarterback can keep the deep-ball momentum going against a unit that has had to patch together answers in the secondary. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Face A Familiar Problem In A Very Winnable Bears Game
The Patriots head into a winnable matchup with Chicago carrying the same kind of offensive uncertainty that has followed them for stretches this season. New Englands line is again under the microscope, with injury questions surfacing at guard and along the right side, and that only adds pressure in a game where protection, rhythm and staying ahead of the chains could matter as much as anything the passing game does.
Chicago brings its own concerns, but the part of the Bears that most fits the Patriots' defensive attention is the ground game. With one key back unavailable, DAndre Swift figures to be a major part of the plan, and New England will have to be ready for a rushing attack that can control tempo if it gets rolling. For a Patriots team trying to turn a favorable spot into an actual result, the line play on both sides could end up deciding whether this one looks manageable or familiar in all the wrong ways. [Read more 🡒]
Drake Maye Is Betting Patriots Fans Will Stay Patient With A.J. Brown
A.J. Browns return from a high ankle sprain did not go the way the Patriots hoped, as the receiver was active again but came away with a quiet afternoon and a few costly miscues. After missing time, Brown was back in the lineup and immediately became a focal point in the offense, which only sharpened the attention on how he looked and how quickly he could shake off the rust.
Drake Maye is not sounding alarmed, though, and the quarterbacks confidence in Brown adds an important layer as New England turns its focus to the Bears. For the Patriots, the bigger question is whether Browns timing and comfort can sharpen quickly enough to make his return feel more like a turning point than a temporary detour. [Read more 🡒]