The good, the bad, the s—t that gets you beat from Patriots vs. Bears
Let’s use Mike Vrabel’s categorizations to break down the Patriots’ loss in Week 7.
As Mike Vrabel prepared for his debut as head coach of the New England Patriots in 2025, he turned to a simple way of evaluating his team's performances: the good, the bad, and the s—t that gets you beat. With this framework in mind, the Patriots found themselves trailing the Chicago Bears 30-24 in a prime-time contest. The loss, while competitive, ultimately came down to the Bears' superior execution on both sides of the ball.
On the bright side, the Patriots' pass game was functional, if not spectacular. Quarterback Drake Maye showcased his potential as the franchise's go-to QB, completing 77.4% of his passes for 321 yards and two touchdowns. The pass protection was also solid, with the Patriots allowing only 14 quarterback disruptions. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson had a bright spot in the game, chalking up a 13-yard carry in the second quarter.
However, the Patriots' struggles were glaringly evident on the ground. They failed miserably to move the chains on third downs and overall run production, culminating in a meager 44 yards on 14 carries. The Bears' defense, already ranked 25th in the NFL, capitalized on New England's run-blocking deficiencies. Tight end TreVeyon Henderson and wide receiver Eli Raridon both had their big-play opportunities stymied by clunky blocking from center Jared Wilson and the surrounding offensive line.
The s—t that got the Patriots beaten came in the form of the Bears' explosive offense. Defenses across the league had been warned to limit big plays, especially those gaining 20+ yards. New England's defense fell short, allowing the Bears to score 10 big plays, including two monster catches by wide receiver Luther Burden in the second half. With a 58-yard run and a 24-yard touchdown, Burden gored the Patriots' defense repeatedly, making it difficult for New England to contain him.
The breakdown of the issues surrounding the Patriots' defense showed that communication breakdowns, insufficient tackling, and missed tackles played a significant role. As a result, the team allowed the Bears to score 10 big plays, resulting in a loss that could have been avoided.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
