Week 7 Bears Preview: Bears Visit Patriots on Monday Night
Chicago looks to put an end to a 3-game skid; Pats welcome back Mac while looking for their third win in a row
Here we are again, folks. Another Chicago Bears prime-time game.
Thankfully, it’s the last one of the season.
There’s a slight possibility the Bears could play one more time under the lights if the regular season finale against the Vikings is flexed to Sunday Night Football, but let's face it, its most likely only Minnesota would be playoff-bound in that equation.
Plus, NBC mostly likes to see the Bears when Aaron Rodgers has a chance to embarrass them.
As for this week…the 2-4 Bears are bound for Foxborough, Mass., and the showcase of ESPN’s Monday Night Football where the 3-3 New England Patriots await.
There is an historic angle to this game as long-time Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, who is 5-1 all-time against Chicago, could surpass “Papa Bear” George Halas on the all-time coaching wins list with a win Monday. It would be No. 325 for Belichick.
Monday Scaries
It is not just Belichick that the Bears have a losing record against, it's Monday nights in general
The Bears enter this latest MNF test with an all-time record of 32-42 in the prime-time spot, on the road Chicago’s mark is 15-26.
Given their muted expectations for victory, the Bears should be pleased with the “mini-bye” that they’ve been able to take advantage of entering this game. Of course, the team’s last effort was less than encouraging, scoring only once in an offensive struggle on Thursday Night Football against the Washington Commanders (12-7).
“I think (the mini-bye) came at a good time, both mentally and physically for the guys,“ tight end Cole Kmet said on Friday.
Offense in Focus
One common talking point every week this season is the Bears offense amid the larger discussion on how to improve this team..
With another somewhat winnable game and less and less time ahead of them to turn things around, it looks like the Bears will try something new this week.
NBC Sports Chicago’s David Kaplan tweeted Friday that the Bears will bench center Sam Mustipher and he’ll serve as a possible back-up at guard and center, leaving the likely new line-up in front of Justin Fields as Braxton Jones at left tackle, Michael Schofield at left guard, Lucas Patrick at center, Tevin Jenkins at right guard, and Larry Borom at right tackle.
The offensive line needs some kind of jolt, that’s something anyone who follows the Bears would agree with after allowing Fields to be sacked 23 times so far this season — that number ties them with their last opponent, the Commanders, for most sacks allowed this season.
Who Will It Be?
On the other side of the ball, the Bears have been put in the position to prepare for two quarterbacks all week — either the prohibitive starter Mac Jones or his back-up, rookie Bailey Zappe, who has started or thrown the majority of passes in the Pats’ last three games as Jones has sat out due to an ankle injury he suffered in a Week 3 defeat to Baltimore.
While Jones had been listed as questionable for much of this week, reports have recently stated that the second-year QB is ready to return to action on Monday.
Zappe has added some zip to the New England offense in relief of Jones and has been a prime reason for wins over Detroit and Cleveland in the Patriots’ last two efforts. Zappe threw for 309 yards and two touchdowns in last week's victory over the Browns.
Whoever the Patriots have to put under center they’ll see some challenges in passing against the Bears' defense. Through the first six weeks of the 2022 campaign, the Bears have allowed only four passing touchdowns. Only three other defenses in franchise history have allowed so few passing scores in that time, the most recent coming in 2010.
The Herbert Hustle
The three-headed monster that is the Bears’ running game has racked up 1,025 yards rushing, putting them second in the NFC in that category.
Quarterback Justin Fields, along with running backs Khalil Herbert and David Montgomery, all averaged at least 4.5 yards per carry against Washington.
Herbert has stood out the most with his league-high 6.4 yards per carry. This has even led some to speculate whether the Bears should give the bulk of carries to Herbert over the more-established Montgomery, who is averaging 4.0 yards per carry.
The Bears will have to stop a talented running back themselves in the Patriots’ Rhamondre Stevenson, who is entering this game with the seventh-most rushing yards in the NFL (448).
On The Road Again
With a victory at Gillette Stadium, the Bears could kill two birds with one stone — it would put an end to a three-game losing streak and also give them their first road win of the season.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick may have engaged in some his classic mind games in talking up the Bears during his Wednesday press conference — he started it by talking about the Bears’ positives for seven minutes, a likely unprecedented feat for anyone regarding the ‘22 Bears.
“This is a pretty impressive group and really a young team that you can see getting better all the time,” Belichick said.
“[Matt Eberflus] has done a really good job here with installing his system and I think adapting to the personnel that they have there.”
The Bears and Patriots kick off Monday night at 7:15 pm.
Bear Tracks
The Bears go into Week 7 without a single player on the injury report.
This week's honorary captain is safety DeAndre Houston-Carson.
Wide receiver N’Keal Harry was a healthy scratch last week, but the former Patriot is expected to suit up on Monday night to make his Bears debut.
TV: ESPN (Chicago-area simulcast: WGN 9)
Radio: WBBM Newsradio 780 AM and 105.9 FM
Spanish Radio: TUDN 1200 AM and Latino Mix 93.5 FM
Weather: 61 degrees, cloudy
Saul Rodriguez is WARR Media’s associate producer and lead Bears reporter