New England Patriots: 10 Things We Learned From 36-7 Win Over Chicago Bears
Week after week, it's been one challenging opponent after another for the New England Patriots, and it was no different against the Chicago Bears.
The Patriots have faced a grueling five-game stretch, facing the Steelers, Colts, Lions, Jets and now the Bears. The entire time, the offense has been firing on all cylinders.
The Bears, however, were riding a five-game winning streak of their own headed into this game. This was seen as the true test of whether this team was for real or not. It's safe to say they flunked that test pretty hard.
The game goes beyond the stats, grades, and numbers, though. Here are five things we learned in the win.
Patriots: Shayne Graham Is Reliable
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Shayne Graham went 3-for-3 in the arctic blizzard of swirling winds at Soldier Field, despite missing a PAT.
Many people have been skeptical of Graham's ability to make kicks, even though he hasn't given people much of a reason to be. New Englanders have been holding their breath that the game doesn't come down to a kick, but with a few big kicks against the Bears, Graham proved he can make kicks in even the toughest conditions.
Bill Belichick also "I thought he kicked the ball well in tough conditions. I think a lot of credit needs to go to (long snapper) Matt (Katula) and Zoltan (Mesko) for the whole operation. It's not just the kicking, it's the snapping, and getting the ball down."
Bears: Offensive Line Could Be Their Downfall
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Jay Cutler was feeling pressure for much of the game, as he has for much of the season.
Of course, it hasn't always been as detrimental to his performance as it was on Sunday when he threw for under 50 percent completions and two interceptions while being sacked twice.
Their defense could be as good as the '85 team and still not bring this team any further than the first round of the playoffs if their offensive line can't protect Jay Cutler.
Patriots: Offense Can Hold Its Own Against Any Team In Any Conditions
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Thought the wintry mix of snow and swirling winds would slow down the Patriots offense? Maybe you thought the immovable object of the Bears defense would hold its own against the unstoppable force of the Patriots offense.
The Patriots hung 36 large and 475 yards on the third-ranked defense in the league in both points and yards.
So much for the snow affecting the passing game...
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Bears: Jay Cutler Is Still Mistake Prone
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Jay Cutler enjoyed a two-game stretch without an interceptions, which was his first such streak since donning a Bears uniform two years ago.
It was foolish for anyone in Chicago to think it would last. Were we supposed to believe that he had magically, midway through the season, shaken his tendency to throw it to the wrong color jersey?
With those two interceptions and under 50 percent completions, Cutler proved that the two-game stretch wasn't a maturation as much as an aberration.
Patriots: Tom Brady For MVP
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It was just another banner performance for one of the greatest quarterbacks of our generation. Tom Brady lit up the Bears, going an incredible 27-for-40 for 369 yards and two touchdowns.
Yet again, no interceptions.
Many thought he would be thrown off by a tough defense that has done a good job of forcing turnovers this season, but that wasn't the case. He's now decimated two defenses in back-to-back weeks that once featured some of the highest rankings across the board.
Bears: Conditions Of Soldier Field Don't Necessarily Favor Them
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The talk of the week was the poor conditions of the field, which is frequently resodded because of poor traction. Many thought that the Bears, who are familiar with their own field, would hold the advantage.
The wintry conditions of Chicago on Sunday proved otherwise.
Whether it was a lack of footing, poor visibility, or any combination of outside circumstances, the Bears seemed out of their element in the snow of their home city in their own stadium.
Patriots: Running Game Remains a Threat
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It hasn't been a dominating running game, but it's been more than effective enough to compliment the Patriots pass attack. The Patriots running backs averaged four yards per carry, with 124 yards on 31 carries and added a touchdown.
That's important when the conditions are like they were on Sunday at Soldier Field. They could be just as bad, or even worse, during the playoffs at Gillette Stadium.
Bears: Special Teams Unit to Die For
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In a game where so few positive things happened for the Bears, it was the special teams unit that gave the Bears a chance time and time again. Devin Hester recorded a kick return of 61 yards and Danieal Manning had one of 40 yards.
Despite the monumental beatdown at the hands of the Patriots, the special teams unit remains one of the deadliest in football. If only they could have compensated for a 29-point deficit.
Patriots: Defense Is Stepping Up Big Time
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For a unit that once garnered so much criticism, the Patriots defense has gone on some kind of otherworldly hot streak over the past 10 quarters. They've outscored opponents by a whopping 109-10 since the third quarter of their Thanksgiving game against the Detroit Lions.
With just two strong performances, it's impossible to tell whether this is simply a hot streak or if the defensive woes of the Patriots are a thing of the past.
One thing's for certain: We've seen flashes of this level of play all season, with the Patriots defense making plays when they need to. Now they're making those plays for the duration of the game. After a long season of blown leads, it's nice to finally see this unit play up to its fullest potential.
Bears: Hold Ground In NFC North Despite Loss
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