Patriots @ Bears GDT

[TB 1]

1 hour ago, Hunter2_1 said:

Our starting RT is officially out, and I bet Mack plays. So this a good boost for Chicago. NE have usually done well taking a dominant pass rusher out of the game (Watt has never had a good day against us, for example), but there's always a chance he could have a Von Miller in 2016 type game. If so, rough day for our offense.

How is your run defense? You may be surprised how often we run it up the middle. It's been very effective recently, with Michel getting 3 100-yard games in a row. I love Hicks, I was gutted we let him go, so I wouldn't be surprised if you were farrrr sturdier here. Due to the threat from the passing game with Edelman, Gronk, Gordon, White and co - we have been facing a lot of nickel and dime, and Brady has been handing it off vs this light set up, as often as he has passed. It's a decent chess match.

I think your deep passing game has really been impressive, and we HAVE to get pressure (which we're not good at) and/or get physical with the receivers at the line (which we are quite good at) to disrupt timing. New England should also take a similar defensive approach as it did with Mahomes: trying to confuse the young quarterback before the snap in order to test his decision making and potentially force him into errant throws. Against Kansas City, this worked well – at least initially. 

Nagy would be well served using Cohen and Gabriel all day on crossing routes. We cannot cover them. 

You've got some really good posters on here, I often come over and check out some of the writing. So been looking forward to this  

The Bears run defense has been good except for the 2nd half of the Miami game which the heat could have impacted. I think this is the key matchup. if you let the Patriots run the ball then you are going to lose because they will score over 30.

 

 

[TB 1]

5 hours ago, Sugashane said:

This team is impossible for me to figure out.  If we are on we are one of the best teams in the NFL, when we play bad WE look helpless.

 

I feel like we have a shoot out, and Fangio let's the defense get picked apart by his conservative playcalling. 

 

I will say the score will be 27-24, and my gut says Pats win. So I will say Bears win. 

Except for two bad 4th quarters the defense has been good.

With the way the NFL calls roughing the passer and all the rules changes they are turning every game into a shootout as this has been a record setting season for offense. It is almost impossible for a defense to stop a good offense in today's NFL. All over the NFL defenses are blitzing less. Though Fangio has done it the fewest times in the NFL.

Patriots win 27-26.

[BEAR FACE DOWN ARROW]

I think the bears keep up, but ne is to smart not to keep up the short passing game after Miami did it effectively, and the New England run game is pretty good with white and the new guy. 

 

I feel like Bears only shot to win would be to be nearly mistake free, not sure we're there yet.

 

31 24 Pats

[Sugashane]

5 hours ago, TB 1 said:

Except for two bad 4th quarters the defense has been good.

With the way the NFL calls roughing the passer and all the rules changes they are turning every game into a shootout as this has been a record setting season for offense. It is almost impossible for a defense to stop a good offense in today's NFL. All over the NFL defenses are blitzing less. Though Fangio has done it the fewest times in the NFL.

Patriots win 27-26.

It was horrendous early vs AZ but i get what you're saying.  

The 4th is where I think Brady notches another comeback. Fangio rarely adjusts, but McDaniels and Brady will. NE gets a TD with under 2 minutes left, we fail to march down in time. 

[WindyCity]

I think this will be a close lost, when you are playing against a great team, coach, and QB, I think that can be as good as a win for us.

If the Bears walk off the field knowing they can hang with the big boys of the NFL that goes a long way.

[Heinz D.]

6 minutes ago, WindyCity said:

I think this will be a close lost, when you are playing against a great team, coach, and QB, I think that can be as good as a win for us.

If the Bears walk off the field knowing they can hang with the big boys of the NFL that goes a long way.

That's all true, but I'm a little more optimistic about the Bears' chances than the bulk of you folks as I think the Patriots (while undeniably a very good team) as still a work in progress--maybe even more so than the Bears are. I'm guessing the Bears will win, and it will blow everybody away how low scoring the game turns out to be...

[G08]

52 minutes ago, Sugashane said:

It was horrendous early vs AZ but i get what you're saying.  

The 4th is where I think Brady notches another comeback. Fangio rarely adjusts, but McDaniels and Brady will. NE gets a TD with under 2 minutes left, we fail to march down in time. 

Fangio adjusts but it's often with meekly disguised blitzes if his front 4 isn't getting home. His forte is coverages and his defenses are at their best when he can get pressure with 4 and get exotic on the back end. One of my favorite games of his was against Green Bay on Thanksgiving Night a few years back... seeing Rodgers sit back there and have no idea where to go with the ball for 3, 4, 5 seconds put a smile on my football soul. Hopefully he can do the same to Brady but I'm expecting them to run the ball and work the short passing game. Belichick would be a fool to not test our tackling, and really it will be on Fangio to find a way to take those routes away. My bet (fear?) is that he plays it safe and the Pats will drive down the field... they'll get a couple TDs because they are that good, and we'll get a few stops for FGs because we do have a solid defense. Question is can we get a turnover or score on special teams. I believe it will take something like that for us to leave Solider Field with a W. I think Belichick is going to focus on taking Gabriel and/or Cohen out of the game, so I expect a lot of Jordan Howard (please let this be his breakout game this season) and for some reason I think Kevin White is going to make a big positive play for us.

[beardown3231]

Gronkowski “highly unlikely” to play tomorrow as he didn’t travel with the team, according to Schefter. Whoa.

[TB 1]

4 hours ago, G08 said:

Fangio adjusts but it's often with meekly disguised blitzes if his front 4 isn't getting home. His forte is coverages and his defenses are at their best when he can get pressure with 4 and get exotic on the back end. One of my favorite games of his was against Green Bay on Thanksgiving Night a few years back... seeing Rodgers sit back there and have no idea where to go with the ball for 3, 4, 5 seconds put a smile on my football soul. Hopefully he can do the same to Brady but I'm expecting them to run the ball and work the short passing game. Belichick would be a fool to not test our tackling, and really it will be on Fangio to find a way to take those routes away. My bet (fear?) is that he plays it safe and the Pats will drive down the field... they'll get a couple TDs because they are that good, and we'll get a few stops for FGs because we do have a solid defense. Question is can we get a turnover or score on special teams. I believe it will take something like that for us to leave Solider Field with a W. I think Belichick is going to focus on taking Gabriel and/or Cohen out of the game, so I expect a lot of Jordan Howard (please let this be his breakout game this season) and for some reason I think Kevin White is going to make a big positive play for us.

If the Patriots are able to run the ball that means the Bears won't win. New England will test the Bears tackling but it would shock me if the defense plays as bad as last week. the Bears should be able to score over 20 this week. Don't think that the Pat's LB's can take Cohen out of the passing game.

[Heinz D.]

3 minutes ago, TB 1 said:

If the Patriots are able to run the ball that means the Bears won't win. New England will test the Bears tackling but it would shock me if the defense plays as bad as last week. the Bears should be able to score over 20 this week. Don't think that the Pat's LB's can take Cohen out of the passing game.

It's doubtful that they can. 

[Superman(DH23)]

2 hours ago, beardown3231 said:

Gronkowski “highly unlikely” to play tomorrow as he didn’t travel with the team, according to Schefter. Whoa.

That's pretty big if true.

[Hunter2_1]

Yeah it's true, he won't be there. We generally up our passing-to-RBs when he's not there, but we've lost 2 of them as well. Dwayne Allen in to block, then extra WR routes or even more running the ball.

This is good for Mack, more than anyone else, as against elite LEs we usually have Cannon with a Gronk-chip/double. Both are gone. Allen will be kept in a lot to chip.

[yomyyo]

I don't feel optimistic that the Bears can win this game. Brady's quick release should – in theory – mitigate any pass rush, and their short passes could, based on the Packers and Dolphins games, bleed the defense. I'll say 34-27 Pats. 

[Bfan]

Gronkowski  is out.  Life just got better.

Just listened to the radio pregame and they had a Patriots beat report on and he said the only TE they have left active is a blocking TE.  It does sound like we will face more runs today, especially the way Sony Michel has been playing.

[blkwdw13]

I don't think the Bears can or will pull out a win this week. The Patriots have the best coach and QB in the league and together I think they'll neutralize the Bears pass rush and just dink and dunk down the field. Gronk being out means nothing, they are 20-5 without him.