No longer a matchup problem
The Bears will look to stay above .500 on Sunday when they host the Patriots at Soldier Field. Coming off a tough-to-stomach overtime loss to the Dolphins in Miami, Matt Nagy’s team understands it will have to be much sharper in all three phases to upset a team that rarely beats itself. But the Bears also sense a window of opportunity to make a statement against a respected but vulnerable opponent. This isn’t the mismatch it might have been the last two or three years. It certainly won’t be a walloping like the Bears experienced in a 51-23 loss to the Patriots in 2014 in Foxborough, Mass. Here are our three keys for the Bears to wind up on the winning side Sunday.
Trust Matt Nagy. Pregame analysis: A year ago, as Chiefs offensive coordinator, Nagy helped spark a 42-27 Week 1 upset of the Patriots by contributing to an offensive game plan that produced 537 total yards and six touchdowns. Last week, the Chiefs rolled up 446 yards and scored 40 points in a three-point loss to the Patriots, finding ways to attack with an offensive system similar to what the Bears now use. Somewhere in all that, Nagy should be able to sift through the details and find plays and concepts the Bears can use to strain the Patriots defense. As it stands, the Patriots rank 20th in yards allowed per play (5.85). They also rank last in sack rate, taking down quarterbacks on just 2.98 percent of pass attempts. This should be his most fun test yet.
Keep the “Chicken Salad” coming. Pregame analysis: Over the last two games, running back Tarik Cohen has proved his value as a matchup gem for the Bears. The totals: 63 snaps, 32 touches, 305 yards from scrimmage, two touchdowns. Nagy continues to involve Cohen in a variety of ways that keep opposing defenses guessing. And it was clear this week that Cohen has caught Bill Belichick’s attention. The floor is yours, Bill. “He’s hard to find,” Belichick said. “He’s a dynamic player who can run, catch and really threaten every yard of the field — from sideline to sideline, up the middle, deep. You can throw it to him. You can hand it to him. … He’s a special player that you have to know where he is at all times.”
Beat the slot machine.
Pregame analysis: A week after Dolphins slot receiver Albert Wilson ripped through the Bears defense for 155 yards and two touchdowns, Vic Fangio’s group will now face Tom Brady, a legendary quarterback who is surgical with the way he uses his slot guys. For Brady, the slot receiver has been the engine behind the Patriots’ offensive efficiency forever. And it was no coincidence that the star quarterback was out of sorts some in September while Julian Edelman was serving his fourgame suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy. Edelman has 11 catches for 111 yards and a touchdown in two games since returning. That’s an element that didn’t threaten anyone through the first three games. Gabriel’s diving, twisting grab on the 47-yarder could easily end up as the Bears’ catch of the year. The degree of difficulty was 10 out of 10, and he demonstrated he’s much more than a weapon in the screen game. Over the long haul, Gabriel must prove he can stay healthy playing 80 percent of the snaps, but so far, he’s validating what the Bears saw in him in free agency. Gabriel’s 47-yard grab in the first half last weekend was a thing of beauty, a well-thrown deep ball by Trubisky and an impressive acrobatic grab by the receiver. Gabriel’s 54-yard catch three possessions later again showed off his vertical speed and matchup potential and led to a Bears touchdown. The sample size is growing now. And Gabriel leads the Bears in receiving yards with 303. As long as he stays healthy, his production should continue.
—Dan Wiederer