Patriots-Bears Week 7 Recap: Streak ends 30-24 in Chicago

New England never led, and the turnovers Vrabel warned about arrived

The bottom line: The Bears beat the Patriots 30-24 at Soldier Field on Thursday night, ending New England’s three-game winning streak. Drake Maye threw for 321 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a third, but his interception in the Chicago end zone led to a Bears touchdown, and the defense missed 16 tackles. New England is 4-3.

The interception

The bottom line: Maye was 24 of 31 for 321 yards with two touchdowns, and the one throw he wants back decided the game.

The details:

• Trailing 13-7 in the second quarter, with New England back in the Chicago red zone, Maye underthrew Eli Raridon in the end zone and linebacker D’Marco Jackson intercepted it. The Bears answered with an 80-yard touchdown drive that made it 20-7.
• It was Maye’s first turnover since Week 4 at Buffalo. It left New England at minus-7 in turnover differential, with only the Colts worse in the NFL, per Boston.com.
• Maye also ran four times for 26 yards, including a 7-yard touchdown that cut it to 10-7.

What Maye said: “I know that was a big turning point in the game, and I know I let my team down.” On the throw: “I like my chances in there, and just … yeah, it’s frustrating.”

What Vrabel said: “He gave us a chance. He competed. I know he’d like to have that throw back to Eli (Raridon)…he’ll learn from it like he always does. I’m glad he’s ours.”

The backdrop: Vrabel had gone at the turnovers on Monday, four days before the game. “We turn the ball over at a historic rate, and it’s ridiculous,” he said then. “It’s an embarrassment.” He repeated the point at his news conference that afternoon, saying the Patriots would rep ball security more and then putting the blame on himself.

Sixteen missed tackles

The bottom line: New England missed 16 tackles, its most in a game since Super Bowl LX against the Seahawks, according to Pro Football Focus.

The details:

• Caleb Williams went 22 of 33 for 308 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, a 116.7 passer rating.
• Luther Burden III caught four passes for 130 yards and a 24-yard touchdown, and set up D’Andre Swift’s 4-yard score with a 58-yard catch-and-run. Colston Loveland caught a 12-yard touchdown after breaking a Marcus Jones tackle.
• Swift carried 22 times for 78 yards. Chicago gained 405 yards to New England’s 380 and held the ball for 32:24.
• Christian Elliss led the Patriots with 13 tackles, eight of them solo.

What Vrabel said: “Tackling wasn’t good enough, not against this team,” Vrabel said. “It just leads to extra yards and conversions.”

Stevenson’s 48-yarder kept it close

The bottom line: Down 20-7 with 14 seconds left in the half, Maye hit Rhamondre Stevenson on a short pass and Stevenson ran it 48 yards for a touchdown as time expired.

The details:

• The drive was two plays and 66 yards. Maye found A.J. Brown for 18 yards to reach the Chicago 48 with three seconds showing, then threw the Stevenson score.
• Stevenson finished with five catches for 93 yards and the touchdown, the Patriots’ leading receiver on the night.
• Eli Raridon caught a 30-yard touchdown in the third quarter to cut it to 27-21, the closest New England got.

Santos ended it from 58

The bottom line: Cairo Santos, who had already clanged a 53-yard attempt off the right upright, made a career-long 58-yarder with 1:34 to play.

The details:

• The 58-yarder capped a 12-play, 51-yard drive and put Chicago up 30-21. Christian Barmore had sacked Williams on third down during that drive and appeared to push the Bears out of range.
• Andy Borregales answered with a 47-yard field goal with 37 seconds left to make it 30-24, but New England could not recover the onside kick.
• Santos was also good from 43 and 31 earlier.

Also

• New England committed 10 penalties for 71 yards, to Chicago’s nine for 69. Several false starts killed a fourth-quarter drive.
• The Patriots converted two of seven third downs and went 0 for 1 on fourth down. Chicago was 4 of 12 on third down and 2 for 2 on fourth.
• New England’s opening drive reached the Chicago 45 and ended with a sack of Maye by Kyler Gordon on fourth-and-5.
• A.J. Brown was targeted twice in the first half and caught one pass for 18 yards in it. The Boston Globe noted multiple drops on catchable balls.
• The Patriots placed Alijah Vera-Tucker on injured reserve Thursday, the Boston Globe reported. The left guard had played six games before hurting his hamstring in the Jets win.
• Bears tight end Cole Kmet was carted off with an apparent knee injury late in the fourth quarter.
• Chicago is 5-2. New England plays at Miami on Sunday, Nov. 1.

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Our take

We said Bears 24, Patriots 20, lay the 3 and take the Under 50.5. Two out of three. Chicago won by six and covered, and 54 points sailed over a number we thought was too high.

We also said the giveaways would decide it, and they did, which is the least satisfying way to be right. One interception. That’s all it took, and it came in the end zone with points already on the table.

I actually don’t think this was a bad Patriots performance. Maye was terrific on a short week behind a line starting two backup guards, and 380 yards on the road against a top-10 defense is no joke. The defense is the worry now. Sixteen missed tackles isn’t a scheme issue, and Vrabel knows it, which is why he said so before anyone asked.

4-3, and Miami next.