The Patriots will take on the Bears on Monday night in a game that could be soon looked back upon as New England’s jumping off point.
The Patriots enter this Week 7 matchup with a 3-3 record, needing a win to get over .500 for the first time this season. On paper, that looks like a simple task. New England will see the return of quarterback Mac Jones following a three-week absence and face off against a Chicago squad that has done next to nothing in recent weeks to spark any hope moving forward.
Well, at least that’s what the casual fan would think. Matthew Judon, the Patriots’ best player and a defensive leader, thinks different.
“We can’t really look past them because they have one of the top running games in the league,” Judon said in an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show on Monday, per Twitter video. “They have two backs that’s performing very well. It doesn’t matter the down, the distance, if they get it they can make an explosive run. And then they also have a quarterback (Justin Fields) that’s learning, but he’s learning fast. He’s maturing in front of our eyes and he’s making a lot of good football plays.”
If you take a longer look at the Bears offense than just glancing at their 293.5 yards and 15.5 points per game numbers, both of which rank in the bottom three of the NFL, things aren’t really that bad.
The Bears rank second in rushing yards per game at 170.7, with Fields and running backs David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert combining to make up one of the most dynamic rushing attacks in the NFL. The only problem is, they’re about as one dimensional as it gets — with Fields being given little opportunity to throw the ball this season. The 23-year-old has attempted just more than 19 attempts per game, and has completed a staggering 63 passes through six games.
Judon and the rest of Bill Belichick’s defense will try to hurry Fields up, just like they do against every other young quarterback they face. Fields, however, isn’t any old second-year QB. He’s a dynamic runner, and should be able to cause problems for the Patriots defense by getting out of the pocket and extending plays — something New England has struggled with throughout Belichick’s tenure. Can he make the throws once he gets on the move? That’s the question that could make or break the Bears on Monday night.
