Bear Digest

Bears Best Positioned to Cause Problems for the Patriots

Caleb Williams figures to bounce back at home based on his past performances and here's who else rates as a problem for the New England Patriots.

Gene Chamberlain

Kyler Gordon takes off on a return with an interception against New England in the teams' last matchup, a Bears win in 2022.
Kyler Gordon takes off on a return with an interception against New England in the teams' last matchup, a Bears win in 2022. / Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
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The unique aspect of this year's Bears schedule is how their home schedule has not only been filled with weaker teams out of the division but also opponents they match up well against.

The Bears definitely have to be concerned with Drake Maye because the Patriots quarterback is gifted with a big arm, he is a bigger player who can move, and he has done both so far.

"His two-minute operation's been good," Bears coach Matt Eberflus said. "He's done a really good job with that.

"He's used his legs when appropriate. He had a lot of yards last week."

However, he has been prone to errant throws and interceptions with six of them in four starts.

"He's a young player just like a lot of the young quarterbacks playing in the league this year," Eberflus said. "There's a bunch of them drafted.

"And again, he's learning as he’s gong there. But he's impressive."

Facing the Bears secondary in Chicago is not the easiest task.

The Bears have won nine in a row as home team, eight at Soldier Field, and defenses weaker on the perimeter have trouble with the Bears offense. The Bears are stronger attacking the middle of the field in their passing game and a team weaker on the perimeter is inviting trouble from all directions.

Here are Bears best positioned to cause problems for New England.

1. RB D'Andre Swift

Swift's ability to work in the short passing game for screens or flaring out of the backfield has been solid all year and when the Bears offense looked its best against the Jaguars, Panthers and Rams, he was doing damage this way. The Patriots' pass defense hasn't been it's greatest weakness but they are at their worst  covering the shorter passes. In Swift's case, he'll be doubly dangerous for New England because he runs best to the outside and New England ranks 20th stopping runs around left end (6.42 yards a carry) and is 24th stopping them around right end (6.15 ypc).

BEARS COULD BE FACING YANNICK NGAKOUE ON SUNDAY

2. S Kevin Byard

Their ballhawk could come into play facing a rookie QB with a big arm, who has thrown four interceptions in four starts. More than that, New England's receiver corps is at its worst facing zone coverage with the exception of Demario Douglas, who gets passes underneath zones. Ja'Lynn Polk and Kayshon Boutte have plenty of speed but they're not going to be trying to beat man coverage much. If they challenge the Bears deep, Byard is ranked eighth against the pass by Pro Football Focus and ninth overall. Stathead/Pro Football Reference tracks Byard at 56% completions allowed when targeted (14 of 25), the third-lowest percentage of his career and best since 2021.

3. LB Tremaine Edmunds

Young quarterbacks have the worst tendency to hold the ball too long and throw over the middle deeper when they do it. Most have never played against a coverage linebacker who is 6-foot-5 and had an arm length and wingspan in the top 3% of all linebackers ever measured at the combine.

If Maye makse the mistake of throwing into zone coverage and thinking it's over Edmunds' head it could be picked off or tipped so someone else gets it. Edmunds started off hot this season but has slid down the PFF grading charts, like T.J. Edwards. This is the kind of team Edmunds should prosper against.

BEARS FORCED TO SWEAT IT OUT NOW IN NFC NORTH RACE

BEARS FORCED TO SWEAT IT OUT NOW IN NFC NORTH RACE

BEARS OFFENSIVE TREND INDICATES IT'S TIME TO TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT

BEARS LEANING ON GREATLY REVAMPED OFFENSIVE LINE AGAINST PATRIOTS

4. TE Cole Kmet

Be certain the Bears have been repping passes with Kmet designed to be the primary target this week. They can't go through another week when he isn't targeted after he had been on pace for possibly his best season through their sixth game. The Patriots' problems with pass defense on shorter routes, especially in the middle of the field, can make it easier for Kmet to inflect damage. New England classically had played mostly man to man but plays more two-deep safety coverage than in the past. This is another reason the tight end or tight ends—referring here to Gerald Everett—could hurt New England. The Jets hit them with seven passes to tight ends for 108 yards in one game and in both games together former Vikings tight end Tyler Conklin made eight receptions. Greg Kittle led the 49ers in catches in their win over the Patriots.

5. DE Montez Sweat

He's back. The Bears defense looked lost without Sweat. When they didn't have Sweat or Andrew Billings after his injury last week, they really were lost up front. New England will throw a lot of shorter and timing passes and Sweat can't get home on those, but he's also one of the better Bears run defenders and leads the team in tackles for loss with five. Patriots third-year tackle Vederian Lowe, from Illinois, is graded 55th of 76 tackles by PFF and the Bears may want to take advantage of this matchup by moving Sweat to his side.

6. Slot CB Kyler Gordon

Another reason the Bears struggled stopping the run last week was the absence of Gordon, but like Sweat, he's back. He has been a Bears wild card on defense with a few tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and a pass defense, to go with his coverage. The Bears like using him on slot blitzes or even run blitzes. Gordon is graded the 10th best cornerback or slot cornerback at defending against the run by PFF. His play near the line was one of the reasons the Bears were able to shut down the one-two punch Jacksonville had in the ground game early, before his hamstring injury.

7. WR Keenan Allen

Allen's ability to catch the passes over the middle should work well with the Patriots' defense vulnerable through the air in this area of the field.  Marcus Jones is the Patriots' slot cornerback and has tremendous speed. He has been a real threat in special teams but in coverage he is six inches shorter than Allen at 5-8 and if moved to cover Kmet he is 10 inches shorter. In Allen's case, a six-inch advantage is all he needs to contort his body and make a critical catch.

8. G Teven Jenkins

The Bears love moving their guards out when running a wide zone blocking scheme. The Patriots' vulnerability so far on the perimeter can make a mobile guard a threat in either the running game on stretch plays or on screens to wide receivers or even backs. Jenkins fought his way through a knee injury last week and appears ready to go as his name was removed from the injury report.

9. QB Caleb Williams

He's home, where he has a 105.1 passer rating, 67.3% completions, seven of his nine TD passes and only one of his five interceptions. Home sweet home. If Williams goes for checkdowns, this is a team he can burn.

Twitter: BearsOnSI

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.