The Patriots took control by scoring 10 points in the final 1:46 of the first half to take a 13-3 halftime lead. Rookie quarterback Drake Maye tossed a 2-yard touchdown pass to receiver Ja’Lynn Polk and then completed a 22-yard pass to receiver Kayshon Boutte to set up Joey Slye’s 37-yard field goal as time expired in the half.
The Bears were limited to 11 first downs and converted only 7% of their third-down opportunities (1 of 14) in the game.
“We have to pull together and find the answers because we have all the answers that we need in the room,” Eberflus said. “We have evidence on tape and in games playing great complementary football and playing with great passion this year.”
Caleb Williams completed 16 of 30 passes for 120 yards and a 63.2 passer rating and was sacked nine times. D’Andre Swift rushed for 59 yards on 16 carries.
Maye connected on 15 of 25 passes for 184 yards with one TD, one interception and a 79.4 passer rating. The Patriots rushed for 144 yards on 35 attempts, led by running back Rhamondre Stevenson’s 74 yards on 20 carries.
“We didn’t play well today at all,” said safety Kevin Byard III. “Credit to those guys. Their defense played better than ours and we didn’t come out with the execution that we needed to win the game … They got a bunch of pressure on our quarterback; we didn’t get enough pressure on theirs, and he made plays when he needed to in some critical moments of the game, and that’s how you lose.”
The Patriots took a 3-0 lead on Slye’s 30-yard field goal midway through the first quarter. The kick was set up by Maye’s 28-yard pass to tight end Austin Hooper.
The Bears went three-and-out on two possessions early in the game that started at the New England 47 following DeAndre Carter 38-yard punt return and at their own 48 after T.J. Edwards‘ leaping interception of a Maye pass.
“I thought we started the game out solid in terms of having some momentum there with the big return, with the interception,” Eberflus said. “We have to do a good job of capitalizing on those to create momentum early.
“The great thing I told the players is that we have evidence on tape of doing that. It’d be different if you didn’t have any evidence. We have evidence of that. It’s the same guys in the room, same guys in the circle. So it’s important that we find a way to get that done.”
The Bears later tied the score 3-3 on Santos’ field goal. Williams…
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