The Patriots turned in their best defensive performance of the season against the Bears, holding Chicago to just three points in a 19-3 victory and getting contributions from some unlikely places.

Players who might've been under the radar at the season's start emerged in Chicago and made critical impacts at some of the game's most important turning points.

After the game, head coach Jerod Mayo praised the play of the defense on all levels.

"Defensively, I would say we were able to get pressure," said Mayo. "We were able to get pressure on the quarterback. We had nine sacks in the game, which is always good, and I would say the back end did a good job as far as coverage is concerned."

It was an all-around effort, as the Patriots defense controlled the game both on the ground and through the air.

• Limited Rushing Success: The Bears managed just 73 rushing yards on 20 attempts, averaging a modest 3.6 yards per carry. Their longest run was only 10 yards, showing the Patriots' consistency in stopping the run and preventing any explosive rushing plays that have plagued them in recent weeks.

• Relentless Pass Pressure: The Patriots sacked Bears quarterback Caleb Williams nine times for a loss of 51 yards, which disrupted the passing game and prevented the Bears from establishing any rhythm through the air. Williams completed only 53.3% of his passes for 120 yards, with no touchdowns and a longest completion of 18 yards.

• Total Yardage and Scoring: The Bears' offense was held to just 142 total yards and didn't reach the end zone. They averaged only four yards per passing attempt and 2.4 yards per play overall, making it a struggle to move the ball effectively at any point in the game. The Patriots forced the Bears to punt on 8 of their 12 drives, keeping Chicago from gaining any momentum and consistently shutting down their possessions before they crossed midfield. They held the Bears to under 50 net yards on all but one drive, with four drives totaling less than 10 net yards, including one that resulted in negative yardage.

"Coverage was huge," continued Mayo. "All of those guys in the back end, again, we had the young safeties out there, and (CB Christian Gonzalez) Gonzo continues to play at a very high level. I'd also say Jonathan Jones. He's one of those guys you can put him in as a slot corner, put him outside, put him in the back end. Just a veteran player that, again, goes in that box of he's a football player, and wherever you ask him to go, he'll go out there and try to perform."

Perhaps the most impressive statistic from the game was the Patriots defensive performance on third down. The Patriots defense held the Bears to just 1 of 14 on third-down conversions (7% success rate). This forced the Bears to repeatedly punt and stalled their drives throughout the game. Whether it was early or late in the game, the Pats third-down D came to play.

While the standout defenders were led by some of their team leaders, some new faces stepped to the forefront as well.

1. Jahlani Tavai: Tavai, who welcomed his first daughter's birth this week and received a game ball, led the defense in tackles, totaling eight (six solo, two assisted), and recorded a sack for a loss of seven yards. He also contributed a quarterback hit, a tackle for loss, and a pass deflection, showcasing his versatility and leadership on the field. Tavai was an active tone-setter throughout the game.

2. Jeremiah Pharms: Pharms had perhaps the best game of his career with five combined tackles (four solo, one assisted) and a sack that cost the Bears three yards. He was particularly effective against the run, leading the team with 3 tackles for loss and adding a quarterback hit, demonstrating his ability to disrupt plays in the backfield. Situationally, Pharms was clutch, delivering two of his run stops on the Bears only scoring drive of the game, he was a big reason the Bears had to settle for three points instead of scoring a touchdown. Pharms also came through with another important tackle-for-loss on the Bears last drive of the first half, helping contribute to the Patriots getting the ball back and posting a final field goal score before halftime. His sack was also timely, coming in the third quarter near midfield as the Bears were looking to get back into the game but were forced to punt away their opening possession.

3. Keion White: White had one of his best games of the season with four combined tackles (two solo, two assisted), a sack for a loss of eight yards, and two quarterback hits. He also recorded two tackles for loss and a pass deflection, and led the team with six quarterback pressures. White has been in the midst of a breakout season and this game illustrated all the different ways he's improving and impacting games.

"I've been saying it all year we are a young defense forced into a lot of starting positions," said White after the game. "What you guys are seeing is us figuring it out and I feel like we are a more cohesive unit week to week. The trajectory is on the right path."

4. Deatrich Wise: The veteran captain Wise was a consistent force on the defensive line as well with two solo tackles, two sacks for a loss of eight yards, and two quarterback hits. His tackle for loss and pass deflection added to his strong showing, helping the Patriots apply pressure to the Bears backup tackles throughout the game. Wise's first sack helped back the Bears out of field goal range in the first quarter.

5. Anfernee Jennings: Jennings contributed four solo tackles and tied for the team lead in sacks with two, totaling a loss of nine yards. His three quarterback hits and two tackles for loss were once again key to the Patriots' dominance in the trenches. Jennings was second on the team with five QB pressures as the veteran is starting to emerge as a three-down player. His run defense has been among the best in the league over the last two seasons but now Jennings is adding a new pass-rushing dimension to his game.

The team even got key contributions from some of their role players with Brenden Schooler, a usual core special teamer, taking five defensive snaps to serve as a spy on Caleb Williams and picking up the first sack of his career in the third quarter to force another Chicago punt.

Undrafted rookie Dell Pettus has seen rising snaps on defense in recent weeks and he too got in on the sack party, helping to close things out in the fourth quarter.

It was an all-around defensive effort from the Patriots, one that they have been working toward all season. The result had to be rewarding, especially with so many different players across the roster getting involved.

"Look, that's the recipe," summed up Mayo, "We just have to be patient enough to do it on a down-after-down basis."

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