2:15 p.m., Patriots by 3
Last meeting
Patriots won 33-30 at Chicago on Nov. 10, 2002
Spotlight on: Bears cornerback-punt returner Devin Hester
True story. Mike Shanahan had zeroed in on Hester in the second round of draft, only to have the Bears snatch him away. The rest is history. How good would Hester look returning kicks for the Broncos? He leads the NFC with a 12.9-yard punt-return average and has three return TDs for 80-plus yards – two punt returns and a 108-yard return of a missed field goal vs. Giants.
Who knew?
The Pats are stringing together one of the strangest seasons in recent NFL history. Their 7-3 record breaks down as follows – 2-3 at home, 5-0 on the road. Not only that, four of their road wins have been by 22-plus points, the first time in NFL history a team has racked up four such Ws in the same season. More interesting numbers on the Pats: They’re 21-4 vs. the NFC since 2001, including three Super Bowl victories.
Etc.
Both teams coming off shutout Ws – Bears over Jets, Pats over Packers. … Bears first in the league in D, Pats fourth. … How have Pats, despite free-agent losses, remained among league’s elite? Simple. Their red-zone offense is third in the league with 64.1 percent TDs, and their red-zone D is sixth at 38.9 percent. … Tom Brady continues to thrive without a go-to guy on third down. TE Ben Watson, Pats’ top third-down receiver, has 10 catches at chain-moving time, tied for 50th in the league. … Bears DE Mark Anderson, a fifth-rounder from Alabama, leads rookies with 8.5 sacks. … A W for Bill Belichick and he would tie George Allen (118) for 25th on the all-time list. Yeah, but Allen dressed a lot better.
Prediction: Patriots 23, Bears 18
