The Bears and Patriots are two teams that seem to be headed in opposite directions. They do have similarities in some ways, however, since both teams' quarterbacks have been targets of criticism this season. Tom Brady was highly criticized after a slow start, but has since looked like his old self. Jay Cutler was the target of some controversy after the Bears loss to the Dolphins last weekend. Cutler has had an up and down season and hasn't really been able to make big plays when they matter most. As a result, the fans and the rest of the locker room are beginning to get frustrated and point fingers at one another, which is never something that you want. As a result, the Bears come in to New England as a touchdown underdog, as predicted by NFL insiders.
One of the bright spots for the Bears this season has been running back Matt Forte. Forte has been a dual threat player by having multiple catches per game out of the backfield. He has made opposing defenses stay on their heels since he can be a threat in multiple ways. With all the weapons that Cutler has at his disposal, it's hard to comprehend why Chicago's offense has struggled so much. Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery and Martellus Bennett are big-time playmakers, but they can't do much if Cutler can't get the ball to them. He will have to find a way to do that if they expect to be competitive with New England this Sunday.
With all the scrutiny that Tom Brady received the first few games of the season, he has turned it around in a big way. His 13:2 touchdown to interception ratio is one of the best in the league. He will be facing a Chicago defense that has struggled stopping anyone, particularly in the passing game. They are allowing over 260 yards passing per game so Bill Belichick's gameplan will likely include a pass-heavy approach. Brady has benefitted greatly from the return of Tight End Rob Gronkowski. He has been one of Brady's most consistent targets and should have another big game against Chicago. Shane Vereen was a pleasant surprise for the Patriots offense last week against the Jets, so if he continues to play at a high level, then New England could be a scary team later in the season.
Some NFL experts feel that his game has potential of being a blowout in favor of the Patriots. The Bears locker room is in a state of flux right now so it will be interesting to see how they respond to the negative attention. If they rally around each other and play as a team on Sunday, then they might have a chance to pull off the upset. But if they continue to blame each other and play as individuals, then the game could get ugly quickly. The Bears will hang around for a quarter or two, but New England will prove to be too much and win comfortably at home.
Free NFL Picks for this matchup:
Bears 16
Patriots 28
One of the bright spots for the Bears this season has been running back Matt Forte. Forte has been a dual threat player by having multiple catches per game out of the backfield. He has made opposing defenses stay on their heels since he can be a threat in multiple ways. With all the weapons that Cutler has at his disposal, it's hard to comprehend why Chicago's offense has struggled so much. Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery and Martellus Bennett are big-time playmakers, but they can't do much if Cutler can't get the ball to them. He will have to find a way to do that if they expect to be competitive with New England this Sunday.
With all the scrutiny that Tom Brady received the first few games of the season, he has turned it around in a big way. His 13:2 touchdown to interception ratio is one of the best in the league. He will be facing a Chicago defense that has struggled stopping anyone, particularly in the passing game. They are allowing over 260 yards passing per game so Bill Belichick's gameplan will likely include a pass-heavy approach. Brady has benefitted greatly from the return of Tight End Rob Gronkowski. He has been one of Brady's most consistent targets and should have another big game against Chicago. Shane Vereen was a pleasant surprise for the Patriots offense last week against the Jets, so if he continues to play at a high level, then New England could be a scary team later in the season.
Some NFL experts feel that his game has potential of being a blowout in favor of the Patriots. The Bears locker room is in a state of flux right now so it will be interesting to see how they respond to the negative attention. If they rally around each other and play as a team on Sunday, then they might have a chance to pull off the upset. But if they continue to blame each other and play as individuals, then the game could get ugly quickly. The Bears will hang around for a quarter or two, but New England will prove to be too much and win comfortably at home.
Free NFL Picks for this matchup:
Bears 16
Patriots 28