The New England Patriots can walk into Soldier Field Thursday night, punch the Chicago Bears in the mouth and let the entire National Football League know there was nothing fluky about 2025.
To do that, the defense needs to stare down one of the most explosive offenses in the game with Coach Ben Johnson working the controller.
Here are three questions that need to be answered by New England, just a 3-point underdog on the road, if the Patriots are to pull off the upset.
Can the patchwork secondary succeed?
For the predominance of the work on Sunday, the Patriots put Christian Gonzalez on Garrett Wilson man to man with a modicum of success. The outgrowth of that was an Omar Cooper party, with the rookie toasting any and all Patriots defenders, including Gonzalez once, during an 6-catch, 103-yard day.
Look for defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr to put Gonzalez on Rome Odunze and some kind of Charles Woods-Craig Woodson bracket on Luther Burden.
That would leave Kalif Raymond one on one with Marcus Jones – advantage Patriots.
Who drags Colston Loveland?
The Chicago tight end could be a matchup problem. He had his best game of the year, six catches for 65 yards a week ago with a TD against Atlanta.
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New England needs linebackers Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss to be on their game.
Is Gabe Jacas the real deal?
Of the three guys who play on the edge, a picture is being formed clearly on two.
Elijah Ponder is a real weapon in the pass rush.
And Dre’Mont Jones, when healthy (56 percent of snaps played in five games), makes impact plays.
But what is Gabe Jacas? With nine solo tackles and 1.5 sacks in six games, he’s been around the football a little bit.
The vision of him shoving Dion Dawkins into Josh Allen’s lap in the Buffalo win is something to rally around.
But the rookie second-round pick out of Illinois has had more than his share of “Keion White moments,” meaning he’s been lost in the wash.
Jacas’ presence amps up the electricity on the defense. But can he make it cook consistently?
The Bears present issues. And we haven’t even begun to discuss D’Andre Swift and the run game. But if the Patriots can step up here, it will be a huge statement win.
