Chicago (2-4) at New England (3-3)
When: Monday, October 24th 2022
Where: Gillette Stadium,
Foxborough, MA
Time: 8:15 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: New England -6/38.5
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Week 7 of the NFL schedule concludes this Monday night when the New England Patriots host the Chicago Bears from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mas. New England head coach Bill Belichick is seeking his 325th career coaching victory and pass Bears legend George Halas for second place all-time. Don Shula is tops with 347. The Patriots have won two-straight behind rookie QB Bailey Zappe, but it appears starter Mac Jones will be able to go on Monday. Jones is recovering from a high-ankle sprain that has sidelined him since Week 3. Since relieving Brian Hoyer in Week 4, Zappe is 51-for-70 for 596 yards with four touchdowns and an interception. The offense scored 29 in a shutout of the Detroit Lions, then Zappe led the Pats to a 38-15 win at the Cleveland Browns last week.
Thankfully, this is the third and final prime time appearance for the Bears, who really doesn’t deserve to be playing these stand-alone games. They are hard to watch offensively. Fields threw for 190 yards and a score and led the team with 88 yards rushing in the loss to Washington last week. The Bears easily could have won the game, but a muffed punt by rookie Velus Jones deep in Chicago territory midway through the fourth quarter proved to be too much to overcome. The Bears had zero scores on the three trips inside the red zone in the loss. Fields (5.2 yards per carry) leads a good rushing attack, along with Khalil Herbert (402 yards) and David Montgomery (246). Chicago faces a New England team that held a very good Cleveland rushing attack to just 70 rushing yards – more than 100 below the team’s season average.
Zappe has done everything he can to keep the quarterback job, completing 72.9 percent of his passes for a rating of 111.4 that would lead the NFL if he qualified. Zappe passed for 309 yards and two touchdowns with zero interceptions on 24-of-34 completions against the Browns. Top running back Damien Harris missed the Patriots’ win in Cleveland on Sunday with a hamstring injury. The Patriots defense is also doing fantastic work, having allowed just 15 points in their last two games. The are now eighth in the league in points allowed at 18.8 per game. The Patriots are 3-1-1 against the spread in their last five games overall and will play at the New York Jets next Sunday afternoon.
This could be an ugly game. Neither team is very good and the Patriots may be making a mistake by giving the ball back to Jones. The Bears defense is capable enough to keep this one close.
Pick: Bears +8
