Running back David Montgomery added the team’s third touchdown with a 1-yard score and kicker Cairo Santos was a perfect 4-for-4 with field goals from 42, 23, 38 and 50 yards.
While Patriots backup QB Bailey Zappe initially troubled the Bears defense with back-to-back touchdown drives in the second quarter, they held New England scoreless in the second half. Interceptions by safety Jaquan Brisker, linebacker Roquan Smith and cornerback Kyler Gordon along with a fumble recovery by defensive tackle Justin Jones shut down the New England offense.
“First of all, the one Brisker had was pretty amazing,” Eberflus said. “I mean that was a really good play. For him to have that concentration to get his feet in bounds, that was excellent. Then really the other two interceptions were tips. There were some tips there, but the one that Gordon had, I think it was maybe tipped twice. He had to tip it to himself there. Then the return, he took it up the sideline, did a nice job with that. But that fosters confidence, the ability to take the ball away. I think that’s a big part of winning football and [Gordon] did a nice job.”
Zappe played all but the first three drives and completed 14 of 22 passes for 185 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson scored the Patriots’ second TD with a 4-yard run.
The Bears went up 3-0 after Santos hit a 42-yard field goal on the team’s first possession. Fields got the drive going with back-to-back first down completions. On third-and-4, the quarterback rolled right and found receiver Darnell Mooney for a 20-yard gain, then threw an 11-yard pass to receiver Equanimeous St. Brown on the following play.
Fields rushed for a 3-yard touchdown on a designed run play to put the Bears up 10-0 with 2:11 left in the first quarter. Fields came up big on third-and-6, scrambling out of the pocket to find St. Brown for a 19-yard completion. On first down, receiver N’Keal Harry recorded his first reception of the season—against his former team—for a 14-yard gain. On second-and-2, Montgomery pushed his way to the Patriots 3, using a spin move to gain an extra five yards after getting the first down.
“I thought the [designed runs] were good,” Fields said. “I thought they brought a whole different element to our offense. So I think we executed that well and there were definitely some explosive [plays] in the designed runs, for sure.”
Brisker recorded his first career interception on the next drive, leaping high into the…
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