The New England Patriots secured a decisive 19-3 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday, fueled by an impressive showing from rookie quarterback Drake Maye and a relentless defensive performance that held Caleb Williams and the Bears offense to just one field goal on the day.
Maye displayed moments of strong pocket presence, completing critical passes to keep the Patriots ahead, while the defense was disruptive and clutch on third downs, repeatedly shutting down Chicago's drives and sacking Williams a whopping nine times.
It was a total team effort for the Patriots, who showed resilience and strong execution in all three phases, as they controlled the game from start to finish in a dominant performance on the road.
Here's how it all went down in the Rapid Recap!
1. Patriots Grab a Field Goal Lead
The Patriots and Bears opened the game with back-and-forth drives with each team going three-and-out on their possessions.
On Chicago's first possession, Anfernee Jennings came through with a second-down sack that helped set up a 3rd-and-long. Sione Takitaki, Curtis Jacobs and Brenden Schooler all saw increased roles on defense in the early going as the Patriots made some personnel changes for the game.
The Patriots second drive showed promise. Drake Maye connected with Austin Hooper on a deep 28-yard pass, moving New England into Bears territory, and then a series of steady rushes brought the Patriots to the Chicago 16. Rhamondre Stevenson came through with an aggressive fourth-down conversion to keep the drive alive deep inside Bears territory.
After three more chances, including an almost touchdown offset by an illegal touching penalty by K.J. Osborn, the Pats settled for a 30-yard field goal by Joey Slye, putting New England up 3-0. The red zone offense stumbled but the drive was still enough to give New England the lead.
This early exchange set a competitive tone, with the Patriots showing signs of life in the running game. They rushed for 32 yards on their initial eight carries. The scoring drive was 11 plays, 54 yards.
2. Pats Third Down D Shines
The Patriots defense stepped up after the offense took the 3-0 lead. Chicago responded after falling behind by moving the ball into Patriots territory, but then back-to-back plays for the Patriots helped push Chicago back out of field goal range. First, Jaquelin Roy made a run stop for a loss of two yards, and then Deatrich Wise picked up the team's second sack of the day, backing Chicago up eight more yards.
The Pats got the ball back and hit a big 17-yard screen to DeMario Douglas, continuing their momentum from the earlier scoring drive. But that's when Maye made a rookie mistake, throwing the ball directly to Chicago defender Tremaine Edmunds for an interception near midfield.
Despite the giveaway, the Patriots defense held strong again, preventing the Bears from capitalizing on the turnover. After the interception, the Bears gained minimal yardage, with a short 2-yard pass from Caleb Williams followed by a 5-yard rush from D'Andre Swift. On third down, the Patriots' Marcus Jones and Jaylinn Hawkins teamed up to stop DJ Moore for a 2-yard loss, forcing a fourth down and a punt.
This defensive stand forced the Bears to punt from the Patriots' 47, resulting in a fair catch at the New England 12. Twice the Bears started possessions near midfield and neither time did they come away with points as the Patriots third-down defense was perfect in the early going.
That continued into the Bears next possession, as New England's D bent but didn't break, allowing a 12-play, 50-yard field goal-scoring drive that tied the game. Williams completed three passes for 34 yards, with top gains of 11 yards to Rome Odunze and 12 yards to Keenan Allen, while Swift carried the ball for 16 yards on four attempts, including two significant runs of eight and nine yards. But his last two runs combined for -1 yard and led to the Bears drive stalling out.
It was a needed red-zone stop by the Patriots defense.
3. Pats Finish First Half Strong
Just before the half, the Patriots put together some of their best situational play of the season.
Initially, Maye moved the team deep into Bears territory with three critical third-down conversions on the drive. Maye was accurate, completing a crucial 17-yard pass to Demario Douglas on a 3rd-and-3, keeping the drive alive. Another big completion came on a 3rd-and-1 when Maye connected with Austin Hooper for 24 yards, advancing to the Chicago 13-yard line. Stevenson continued his hard running, delivering a nine-yard rush to get the offense inside the Chicago five-yard line, then converting a final 3rd-and-1 by breaking tackles that would've stopped him short.
The Patriots finished off the drive with a two-yard touchdown pass to rookie Ja'Lynn Polk that gave New England back a 10-3 lead. It was a 10-play, 70-yard touchdown drive featuring good balance and some well-designed plays that helped Maye establish a rhythm.
The Patriots defense continued their strong play in the first half, forcing another punt by Chicago as part of their perfect performance through two quarters on third down and Marcus Jones continued the complementary play, returning the kick 24 yards to the New England 40.
Maye hit Douglas for a nine-yard gain and then fired a 23-yard pass over the middle to Kayshon Boutte to set up a final field goal before the half. Joey Slye's 37-yarder was good and New England headed to the locker room with a 13-3 lead.
4. Third Quarter Puntfest
The teams would settle into more back-and-forth in the third quarter, with both the Patriots and Bears trading punts throughout the third quarter. The Patriots picked up two first downs on their initial possession, as Maye continued to look more and more comfortable throwing the ball as the game progressed. But those were the only first downs they'd pick up in the quarter.
The Bears finally got their first third-down conversion on their second possession of the second half, but they wouldn't get a second on that drive, as Brenden Schooler and Keion White split New England's fifth sack of the game and forced another Bears punt.
New England couldn't capitalize and extend their lead, going three-and-out on their next two possessions. The two teams combined for six punts and no points in the third quarter.
5. Pats Add Three More
After a punt-filled third quarter, the Patriots got back on the scoring track on their first possession of the fourth quarter. The drive began with a strong defensive stop, setting them up at their own 46-yard line after a defensive sack and 11-yard punt return helped set up good field position.
After a short run by Rhamondre Stevenson, rookie quarterback Drake Maye scrambled for a 19-yard gain, moving the Patriots deep into Chicago territory at the Bears' 35-yard line. On the next two plays, running back Antonio Gibson took over, breaking through the right tackle for gains of four and seven yards, bringing New England to the Bears' 24.
A holding penalty on Kayshon Boutte pushed the Patriots back to a 1st-and-20, but they quickly rebounded with Gibson's 10-yard rush and a 12-yard completion from Maye to Austin Hooper. Now positioned at the Chicago 12-yard line, Gibson continued to grind down the defense with short gains. However, on 3rd-and-5 from the Bears' 7-yard line, Maye's pass to Hunter Henry fell incomplete after nearly being intercepted, forcing the Patriots to settle for a field goal.
Kicker Joey Slye then capped off the drive with a 25-yard field goal, extending the Patriots' lead to 16-3. The efficient mix of Maye's passing and Gibson's steady running allowed New England to control the pace, add valuable points, and put the Bears under increased pressure as the fourth quarter unfolded.
New England would get a final fourth-down stop and add on a final field goal score to close the book on arguably their best overall performance of the 2024 season.
6. Patriots are 3-7
With the gritty win, the Patriots take their second victory in three games and improve their season record to 3-7. It was a total team win with contributions from all three phases of the team. The team's long-dormant run game showed signs of life, while a clutch defensive performance led the way and held the Bears to just three points.
Meanwhile, rookie quarterback Drake Maye continued to make progress in leading the team to their first official win with him as the full-game starter.
Three key takeaways include:
- Drake Maye's Poised Playmaking: Maye led the Patriots' offense effectively, making pivotal throws on key drives. Though he faced some pressure, he delivered a critical touchdown pass and managed the game well, avoiding risky plays despite an interception. Maye was held under 200 yards passing but made the clutch throws that he needed to.
- Third-Down Defense Dominance: The Patriots' defense excelled on third downs, stifling the Bears' attempts to convert and forcing multiple punts. Their ability to limit Caleb Williams' options on third downs kept the Bears' offense in check throughout the game. The Bears were just 1-of-13 on third down in the game.
- Relentless Pass Rush: The Patriots' defense consistently pressured Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, tallying multiple sacks and forcing hurried throws. This persistent pressure disrupted Chicago's offensive rhythm and contributed heavily to their scoring struggles. New England was credited with nine sacks, led by Deatrich Wise (2) and Anfernee Jennings (2).
The Patriots will return home to face the Los Angeles Rams next Sunday, the Rams will face the Dolphins on Monday Night Football, putting them on a condensed week that will include a cross-country flight.
DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer
