For the first time in their young careers, Maye and Williams, the third and first picks in the 2024 NFL Draft went head-to-head in what would be a not-so-dazzling affair. The Patriots came out on top 19-3 following a four-field goal performance from Joey Slye. Neither QB looked stellar, but Williams certainly looked the worst of the two this time out, totaling just 135 total yards on a poor 16/30 passing.

The Patriots offense was up and down for most of the game but managed to put scoring drives together on five occasions. The brunt of the production came in the first half, when Maye found Austin Hooper downfield for a 28-yard grab. This drive slowed down in the red zone, but after a fourth down conversion the Pats managed to put three on the board early.

The lone touchdown drive of the game was a good one: a ten play, 70-yard drive capped by a Ja’Lynn Polk score, his second of the season. The drive was headlined by chuck plays from both Pop Douglas and another grab from Hooper, who would finish the day the team’s top receiver. Perhaps the most impressive drive of the game ended in three, not seven. With just 35 seconds remaining in the half, Drake Maye led an impressive five play, 41-yard effort that led to a second Joey Slye field goal – a drive that included a 23-yard grab by Kayshon Boutte on star cornerback Jaylon Johnson.

A pair of field goals in the second half would ice the game, but the offense was solid, all things considered. Aside from a very bad Maye interception thrown to linebacker T.J. Edwards, viewers didn’t see any issues with turnovers, and Rhamondre Stevenson managed 74 yards on 20 carries – not great but certainly more respectable than the rushing efforts of the past few weeks.

Something that will be interesting to see this week is the Kendrick Bourne situation. Bourne played zero snaps today in what Jerod Mayo called an effort to get some looks for younger wise outs. Understandable gesture, maybe, but why bench a player who was just given a three year deal this past offseason, coming off a four-catch game, immediately following the trade deadline? What makes it more confusing is that: K.J. Osborn saw 29 snaps, second among receivers. The effort to play the young players cannot go unnoticed, though, as we saw Boutte, Polk and Douglas all get meaningful snaps, while fourth rounder Javon Baker managed four. Hard to be all that mad at the offense today, all in all a sound performance.

Defensively, the unit played their best game of the year. They held the Bears to just three points, but the in-depth stats are far more impressive. Twenty-one QB pressures warranted nine sacks, the second highest total the league has seen all year. Anfernee Jennings and Deatrich Wise each took down Williams once, while the other five were split between other members of the defense, including undrafted rookie safety Dell Pettus.

Further still, the Bears managed just 142 yards of offense and went a measly 1/14 on third down. No Bears wide out had more than 44 yards receiving, and ninth pick Rome Odunze was held to a quiet three catches for 23 yards. The defensive line was stout, and aside from the nine sacks, Davon Godchaux and Jaquelin Roy posted nice games from the interior. Demarcus Covington’s guys did a terrific job establishing the line of scrimmage defensively and it set the precedent for what was a dominant performance.

The victory was far and away the best I’ve seen any Patriots defense look in the past two years, and all done without tackling machine Kyle Dugger. Additionally, this unit is missing out on other contributors, including Christian Barmore, Jabrill Peppers, Ja’Whaun Bentley, and Alex Austin, all key pieces to the puzzle. Should they make these performances a habit without these players, they’ll be a very tough team to play against when fully healthy. Huge props to this unit.

The special teams looked okay again, with Bryce Baringer sending some punts deep into Chicago territory and Slye not missing a kick. Marcus Jones managed a few solid returns too. The first quarter was a bit of a rough look, with a Bears punt return eclipsing midfield and a botched Slye kickoff starting the Bears at the 40. One of the cooler moments of the day was special teams star Brenden Schooler recording his first NFL sack along with the specialist Pettus. I’d give the group a B this time out.

Next week, the Patriots will face off against the L.A. Rams, a team that will be looking to make the most of an NFC West that seems very open at the moment. While their record may show a middling team, I for one think the Rams are very solid. I’d predict the Patriots to make their way back to the loss column, losing 24-14.