The Patriots and Bears meet Thursday night in a matchup that looks a lot alike on paper: second-year head coaches, first-round quarterbacks from the 2024 draft, and matching 4-2 records. It’s also the second time the teams have met in the last three years, and there are plenty of questions on both sides about how this one might play out.
One of the biggest is Chicago’s offense with Caleb Williams back in the mix. After a small but eye-catching sample under Ben Johnson, Williams has changed the way the Bears can attack.
According to Bill Zimmerman of Windy City Gridiron, Chicago averaged 19 points per game with Case Keenum and Tyson Bagent, then jumped to 45 points per game in Williams’ two full games. Zimmerman described Williams as someone who can run Johnson’s system quickly and efficiently, but also turn broken plays into explosives with his own improvisation.
That’s a very different profile from Bagent’s. Zimmerman pointed out that Bagent has to get the ball out on time because he doesn’t have the arm strength to recover if a play falls apart.
Williams, by contrast, can be late on a read and still make it work with his release and arm talent. In Zimmerman’s view, that gives the Bears a “dangerous two-headed weapon” - Johnson’s play design on one side, Williams’ off-script ability on the other.
Chicago’s backfield situation is less encouraging. Kyle Monangai’s absence hurts, especially alongside D’Andre Swift, who forms a strong pairing with him.
Roschon Johnson is the next man up, but Zimmerman was clear that he’s not the same kind of runner. He noted that Johnson lacks Monangai’s speed and shiftiness, and although he can block, catch the ball, and contribute on special teams, he’s not someone the Bears want handling 10-plus touches.
Zimmerman also referenced Johnson’s recent production: 6 yards on five carries against Green Bay, then 51 yards on 13 attempts last week.
The Bears’ secondary has also had issues, especially against the deep ball. Zimmerman traced some of that to injuries and a thinner cornerback group, with Kyler Gordon out for stretches and Chicago relying heavily on Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, and rookie Malik Muhammad. Gordon’s return last week allowed the Bears to move Muhammad outside more often and lean less on the other two.
Even so, Zimmerman said Jaylon Johnson has not quite looked like the player the Bears expected after reports over the summer suggested he had fully bounced back from the injuries that bothered him in 2025. Stevenson, meanwhile, can make plays, but his aggressiveness and occasional lapses have also left him vulnerable on deep passes. Gordon’s return should help in multiple ways, especially as a blitzer and at the line of scrimmage, but Zimmerman still expects Chicago to be vulnerable to Drake Maye attacking downfield.
That’s where the Bears have made their biggest impact: blitzing, especially on third down. Chicago has 17 sacks this season, and nine have come on third down.
Opponents have converted just 26% of their third downs against them, which ranks second only to Minnesota. Zimmerman credited defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who has been strong in that area not just this year but also last season, even when the Bears were one of the league’s worst overall defenses.
There’s another wrinkle: four of those nine third-down sacks have come from defensive backs. Gordon is part of that pressure package, and Zimmerman said it wouldn’t be a surprise if he gets another sack Thursday night, especially against a Patriots offensive line that has been banged up.
His read on the simplest way to disrupt Chicago’s pressure? Avoid third and long.
The Bears, he said, can be beaten on first and second down, and if an offense can stay ahead of the sticks or at least make third down short, it can limit the blitz.
Even with those concerns, Zimmerman picked the Bears to win. He pointed to the confidence and momentum that come with Williams back, said the offense is clicking, and believes Chicago can score enough to get it done. He also expects Maye to hit a few deep throws, but thinks the Bears will make enough plays on third down to shut down enough Patriots drives to come out on top.
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