The Chicago Bears finally ended their three-week losing streak with a 33-14 win over the New England Patriots on Week 7 of Monday Night Football at Gillette Stadium.
Chicago confirmed general manager Ryan Poles’ belief that the team eventually would break the losing cycle against New England in Massachusetts and got their first win since their 24-17 victory in December 2000.
“For the age of our team, there have been a lot of games where we’re knocking on the door to win games,” Poles said. “The next step is learning how to finish.”
Belichick was asked if Mac Jones was scheduled to return to the game in the second half: "He would have gone back in. The score got out of hand, so I didn't think that was the right thing to do."
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) October 25, 2022
Well-balanced play from bears
The highlight of the game was Justin Fields’ impressive play. He led the Bears to 390 passing yards and 243 rushing yards. Fields finished 13 of 21 passes for 179 yards with one touchdown and one interception, along with 14 carries for 82 yards.
Running back Khalil Herbert and David Montgomery rushed for 62 yards. Herbert caught a short pass from Fields that turned into a 25-yard TD in the second quarter. Then, Montgomery added a 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
What a grab by @JaquanBrisker! 🤫
📺: #CHIvsNE on ESPN pic.twitter.com/5pvbjijn97
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) October 25, 2022
The Bears’ defense contributed with two takeaways. The first came from rookie Jaquan Brisker, who intercepted starting quarterback Mac Jones. The second was Justin Jones’ recovery of a fumble. These increased the team’s halftime lead to 20-14.
The reason behind Fields’ impressive play is that the Bears finally figured out how to put him in a position to win. The team allowed Fields to lean on his legs and the young QB did his part. He put in extra effort on carries to lead a running game that included Herbert and Montgomery.
Chicago’s defense also made a big play. Brisker’s pick of Mac Jones forced a quarterback change for New England with the insertion of backup Bailey Zappe. They managed to overcome a one-two punch between Rhamondre Stevenson and Damien Harris, who combined for just 40 yards.
DeVante Parker OH MY 😮
📺: #CHIvsNE on ESPN
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/2HQeNdaFPc pic.twitter.com/bHm7xgcf6w— NFL (@NFL) October 25, 2022
Patriots struggle to win
Other than failing to hit Bill Belichick’s 325th win, the Patriots also failed to maintain their rhythm. After taking over for Jones’ spot, rookie Zappe led the home team to two touchdown drives. In the first half, Zappe was five of six for 109 yards and a touchdown. Then, he was nine of 16 for 76 yards in the second half.
Zappe made a 55-yard drive that ended with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Jakobi Meyers. Meyers was wide open and caught the ball just outside the end zone. As Eddie Jackson approached him, he jumped up and dived across the goal line.
Following Fields’ interception of safety Myles Bryant on a fumble return, Zappe connected with DeVante Parker for a 43-yard pass. Stevenson scored on a 4-yard run two plays later to make it 14-10. Zappe finished the game with 14 of 22 for 185 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) October 25, 2022
New England trailed 17-14 with 1:32 remaining in the first half. A failed pass from Zappe to Meyers resulted in the ball being thrown to the ground, where Justin Jones recovered to give Chicago a bonus possession.
The Bears kept the Patriots from adding more scores for the rest of the game. In the fourth quarter, Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon and linebacker Roquan Smith intercepted Zappe and extended the lead, effectively ending the game and sealing Chicago’s win.
Chicago improved to 3-4 and will face the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8. The Patriots fell to 3-4 and will be up against the New York Jets, who defeated the Broncos for their fourth straight victory in Week 7.
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