Chicago Bears vs New England Patriots – Week 7 Game Preview: Overview, Keys to Game, Insights
Quarterback Caleb Williams returned to lead the Bears (4-2) to a victory over the Falcons last Sunday afternoon. They were in front 31-7 at one point before the home team cut the deficit to 31-23 and made Ben Johnson’s squad sweat out the final minutes of the win.
Chicago doesn’t have much time to savor the win as they face a Thursday night game at Soldier Field against the Patriots. The defending AFC Champions lost two of their first three games but have won three in a row after quarterback Drake Maye found his groove.
New England’s (4-2) offense runs through its tall athletic quarterback, who was runner up for the MVP in 2025. They are averaging an impressive 374.2 total yards per game but it’s only translated into 22.7 points per contest which is in the middle of the pack in the NFL. Turnovers are obviously a big part of that, with the starting QB having already thrown seven interceptions.
The Pats running game has been disappointing so far after being dominant in 2025. Big off-season acquisition WR A.J. Brown is back after missing four games with an ankle injury but Romeo Doubs, who had been a big contributor early, is out with a shoulder injury.
New England has played excellent defense so far in 2026, allowing just 18.8 points per game. Both the run defense and the passing defense are in the top 10 in the NFL. Linebacker Elijah Ponder is off to a big start with 5.5 sacks in just six games.
Thursday games are tough on everyone involved with just three days to recover and prepare, which could lead to some goofy results. This is definitely not an easy opponent, but having Williams back gives the Bears a chance in every game. Let’s see if they can keep the momentum going in primetime.
Where to Watch/Listen
- Thursday, October 22 at 7:15pm CT on Amazon Prime, WBBM Radio (English), and WRTO Radio (Spanish).
Keys to Victory
Here are my keys to Thursday’s game. If these things happen, the Bears should have a shot to win.
- Win the turnover battle. The Patriots have given the ball away 13 times through the first six games of the season. Quarterback Drake Maye is personally responsible for 11. The Bears have not been as successful creating turnovers as they were in 2025 but that needs to change in this one.
- Keep throwing the ball to Colston Loveland. Chicago’s big tight end had his best performance of 2026 against Atlanta. He makes the offense much more dynamic when he is rolling.
- Apply pressure to Maye. New England has two of their starting offensive lineman out with injury, so this is an opportunity for the Bears to rush the quarterback and disrupt the passing game.
- Try to establish the run despite missing Kyle Monangai. Chicago has had difficulty moving the ball on the ground without their big power back. D’Andre Swift is going to need to step his game up after a couple of disappointing performances.
Don’t Tell Me the Odds
The Bears are favored by three points at home against the Patriots on Thursday night. The expectation is for a relatively high score with the over/under at 50.5.
It’s Football Weather
It’s going to be a beautiful night at Soldier Field Thursday with clear skies, a gentle breeze, and a temperature of 61 at kickoff.
My Prediction
These are two teams that are evenly matched so this should be a very competitive game. The game will be decided by a key interception thrown by the Patriots in the fourth quarter. The Bears will prevail by a score of 24-21.
Official NFL Preview
Here is the official preview of the Patriots-Bears game from the NFL.
