The Chicago Bears (3-4) shocked the NFL world with a 33-14 victory over the New England Patriots (3-4), where Chicago dominated in all three phases.
Buy Bears TicketsThe offense was able to effectively move the ball and scored 33 points; the defense held the Patriots scoreless in the second half and forced four turnovers; special teams was solid with Cairo Santos’ 15 points; and Matt Eberflus out-coached Bill Belichick.
Quarterback Justin Fields played the best game of his NFL career, where he showcased his playmaking ability with his arm and legs. It was a reminder that, while things haven’t been pretty, Fields’ potential provides hope for the future of this franchise.
There was plenty to break down following Chicago’s prime-time victory against New England. Our Bears Wire staff is sharing their thoughts following the Week 7 game.
The Bears’ Week 7 win vs. Patriots
Alyssa Barbieri
That was easily the most fun I’ve had watching a Bears game in a long time. While this season isn’t necessarily about winning — it’s about development — this was the kind of win that Matt Eberflus’ team can build on moving forward both in 2022 and beyond.
Justin Fields had the best game of his young NFL career, even if he wasn’t flashy in the passing game. Fields reminded everyone that he’s a threat any time the ball is in his hands, especially when he’s using his legs to make something out of nothing. Or, in this game, when there are designed QB runs to allow Fields to shred an unsuspecting Patriots defense. Fields was Chicago’s leading rusher for the third straight game with 82 yards on 14 carries and a rushing touchdown. He looked poised, confident and downright special in this game, and it’s the kind of performance he can build on moving forward.
While Fields will get a lot of the attention, and rightfully so, the Bears defense had an absolutely dominating outing against Bill Belichick’s team. With the exception of two impressive throws by Bailey Zappe, the Patriots offense didn’t do anything against Chicago. The Bears held the Patriots scoreless in the second half — and they halted the Bailey Zappe effect. Chicago accounted for four takeaways on the night, including a pair of interceptions by second-round rookies Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker.
It was also refreshing to see a head coach have his team prepared after a long break (11 days after the Bears’ prime-time loss to Washington), unlike his predecessor. This victory was another reminder that Matt Eberflus’ team is going to compete until the very end, even if there aren’t many wins left on the schedule. Still, this is a Victory Tuesday Bears fans should relish — especially when considering the future of this team beyond 2022.
Brendan Sugrue
Who would have thought, Bears fans? Not me. This game goes down with the likes of Bears-Packers on Thanksgiving night in 2015, Bears-Rams in 2018 on Sunday Night Football, and Bears-Cowboys on Thursday Night Football as one of the best primetime games of the last 10 years. This was a beatdown of arguably the best coach in NFL history on a night when he should have passed former Bears coach George Halas for second in all-time wins.
Every single phase dominated, from the sensational rushing attack and gameplan that Luke Getsy orchestrated, to the stifling defense that held the Patriots to just 14 points at home. Even on special teams, Cairo Santos hit all of his kicks and there were no disasters that swung the game back the other way. This win was a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one at that. Justin Fields showed a national audience what he’s capable of doing as a quarterback and even if his passing still needs some work, he has star potential written all over him.
The Bears and head coach Matt Eberflus showed they know how to game plan on long rest. Now, can they adjust with a short week to stop a thriving Cowboys team? It will be tough but for now, this is one win we should enjoy. There was a lot of good that came out of Monday night.
Ryan Fedrau
Credit to Justin Fields, he looked like a consistent, NFL quarterback. The Bears are now 3-4, snapping their 3 game losing streak. Now, it’s time to build on it.
I was impressed with how well Chicago bounced back after Bailey Zappe came in and put life into the Patriots offense.
33-points? It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a Bears offense put up 30+ points. As long as the defense can play as well as they did and the offense can do half of what they did tonight, this team will be in good shape. Great team win.
