NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (1-0) vs. CHICAGO BEARS (0-1)
Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. ET. Gillette Stadium (66,829)
PATRIOTS: **Download Release** | **Roster** | **Depth Chart** | **Watch Games**
BEARS: **Roster** | **Depth Chart**
After opening the preseason with a 34-22 victory over the New Orleans Saints last Thursday, the Patriots will host the Chicago Bears in a Week 2 preseason matchup.
The Patriots will hold joint practice sessions for the second straight week when Bears travel to practice against the Patriots on Mon., Aug. 15, Tue., Aug. 16 and Wed., Aug. 17 prior to their Week 2 game on Thu., Aug. 18 at Gillette Stadium.
The 2016 season marks the fifth straight year that the Patriots will hold joint practice sessions. In 2015, the Patriots travel to west Virginia to practice with the Saints. In 2014, the Patriots held joint sessions at Washington and at home against Philadelphia. In 2013, the patriots traveled to Philadelphia and hosted Tampa Bay. In 2012, the Patriots hosted New Orleans and traveled to Tampa Bay.
SERIES HISTORY
This week's game will be the 16th meeting overall between the Patriots and Bears (including Super Bowl XX), and just the third time in the preseason. The Patriots beat the Bears in the previous two preseason meetings, in 1972 and 2003 in Foxborough.
The New England Patriots take on the Chicago Bears at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, October 26, 2014.
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) runs from Chicago Bears inside linebacker Christian Jones (59) and defensive backs Al Louis-Jean (39) and Ryan Mundy (21) as he heads for the end zone to score a touchdown in the second half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2014, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Rob Gronkowski - Facebook: Happy Thanksgiving! Time to Feast! #gobblegobble
Rob Gronkowski - Facebook: Happy Thanksgiving! Time to Feast! #gobblegobble
The two teams last met in the regular season on Oct. 26, 2014 with the Patriots taking a 51-23 victory.
The Patriots hold a 9-3 overall lead in the regular-season series, but Chicago claimed a victory in the teams' only postseason matchup, taking a 46-10 decision in Super Bowl XX following the 1985 season. Since Super Bowl XX, the Patriots have recorded a 7-1 record against Chicago and held the Bears to a touchdown or less in four games.
One of the more memorable games between the two teams was in 2002 when the Bears played their home games at the University of Illinois during the remodeling of Soldier Field.
The Patriots staged one of the most memorable comebacks in team history, rallying from a 27-6 deficit late in the third quarter to pull out for a 33-30 win that was clinched on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady to David Patten with 21 seconds left in the game.
TALE OF THE TAPE
| **2015 Regular Season** | **New England** | **CHICAGO** |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 12-4 | 7-9 |
| Divisional Standings | 1st | 3rd |
| Total Yards Gained | 5,991 | 6,461 |
| Total Offense (Rank) | 374.4 (6) | 403.8 (2) |
| Rush Offense | 87.8 (30) | 93.2 (24) |
| Pass Offense | 286.7 (5) | 310.6 (1) |
| Points Per Game | 29.0 (3) | 25.5 (8) |
| Touchdowns Scored | 52 | 51 |
| Third Down Conversion Pct. | 40.9 | 47.7 |
| Team Passer Rating | 101.9 | 100.6 |
| Total Yards Allowed | 5,431 | 6,620 |
| Total Defense (Rank) | 339.4 (9) | 413.8 (31) |
| Rush Defense | 98.8 (9) | 129.8 (31) |
| Pass Defense | 240.7 (17) | 284.0 (31) |
| Points Allowed/Game | 19.7 (10) | 29.8 (32) |
| Touchdowns Allowed | 36 | 59 |
| Third Down Defense (Pct.) | 37.3 | 40.3 |
| Field Goals Made/Attempted | 33/36 | 18/26 |
| Possession Avg. | 30:08 | 31:11 |
| Sacks Allowed/Yards Lost | 38/225 | 32/235 |
| Sacks Made/Yards | 49/358 | 31/211 |
| Passing TD/Int. (Off.) | 36/7 | 32/12 |
| Passing TD/Int. (Def.) | 24/12 | 45/9 |
| Penalties Against/Yards | 96/859 | 130/1112 |
| Punts/Avg. | 74/45.4 | 67/44.9 |
| Takeaway/Giveaway Ratio | +7 (5t) | +3 (15) |
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TELEVISION:This week's game will be broadcast by the Patriots Preseason Television Network and can be seen in every New England state, as well as Alaska and Hawaii. The preseason network's flagship station is WBZ-TV CBS in Boston. WBZ-TV's Dan Roche provides play-by-play and is joined by former Patriots tight end Christian Fauria in the broadcast booth. Former Patriots linebacker Matt Chatham will provide sideline analysis along with WBZ-TV's Steve Burton. Patriots Football Weekly's beatwritersPaul Perillo and Andy Hartwill also provide insight and analysis.
PATRIOTS PRESEASON TELEVISION NETWORK
Massachusetts
Boston, Mass. WBZ-TV Ch. 4
Springfield, Mass. WWLP-TV Ch. 22
Connecticut
Hartford, Conn. WTNH-TV Ch. 8
Maine
Portland, Maine WMTW-TV Ch. 8
Bangor, Maine WVII-TV Ch. 7
New Hampshire
Manchester, N.H. WMUR-TV Ch. 9
Rhode Island
Providence, R.I. WPRI-TV Ch. 12
Vermont
Burlington, Vt. WCAX-TV Ch. 3
Alaska
Anchorage, Alaska KYUR-TV Ch. 13
Fairbanks, Alaska KATN-TV Ch. 2
Juneau, Alaska KJUD-TV Ch. 8
Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii KFVE-TV Ch. 5
RADIO:98.5 FM, The Sports Hub, is the flagship station for the Patriots Radio Network. A complete listing of the network's 40 stations can be found here. Play-by-play broadcaster Bob Socci will call the action along with former Patriots quarterback Scott Zolak, who will provide color analysis. The games are produced by Marc Cappello.
