The Patriots and Bears both enter Thursday night at 4-2, and the injury report is already shaping the way this Week 7 matchup could unfold. New England heads to Chicago for the first meeting between the teams since the Patriots beat the Bears 19-3 in Week 10 of 2024.
That win came in Drake Maye’s fifth career start and his first full victory. He had technically gotten his first career win two weeks earlier against the New York Jets, but he left that game early with a concussion, and Jacoby Brissett finished it.
For New England, the biggest concern is up front. Center Ben Brown is out with a knee injury, guard Alijah Vera-Tucker is out with a hamstring injury, and Morgan Moses is questionable after leaving the Week 6 win over the Jets with a foot injury. If Moses can’t play, the Patriots will have to lean even more on first-round tackle Caleb Lomu.
The Patriots are also missing cornerbacks Carlton Davis III, Channing Canada, and Karon Prunty. Davis aggravated a neck injury in the Week 4 win over the Buffalo Bills and has now been ruled out for a third straight game. Canada has been sidelined since Week 4 with a hamstring injury, while Prunty is out for a third consecutive game with the same issue.
There is at least some encouraging news on the New England defense. Safety Kevin Byard is questionable with a chest injury, but he was a full participant in practice all week. He also comes off a strong showing against the Jets, breaking up a pass on third down on the opening drive and then stuffing a run on third down on the next possession.
Linebacker Christian Elliss is also listed as questionable with a chest injury after being a full participant in practice, and safety Craig Woodson is questionable with a shoulder injury as well.
Chicago will be without running back Kyle Monangai for the third straight game because of a thumb injury and turf toe. The last time he played, he rushed for 146 yards, scored two touchdowns, and added one catch for four yards in a 23-12 win over the Jets.
The Bears are also missing linebacker Jack Sanborn, who is out with a concussion and will miss his first game of the season. Linebacker T.J. Edwards is doubtful with a hamstring injury, and cornerback Tyrique Stevenson is questionable with a hip injury.
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 🡒]