Let's party like it's 1986. Tonight, the Patriots and Bears face off 40 years after their Super Bowl showdown that culminated with Chicago capturing its first -- and only -- NFL title. That team's iconic coach, Mike Ditka, will be honored tonight, less than two weeks after his passing.
In the spirit of Chicago's iconic 46 defense, tonight's game is a showdown between two of the league's top defenses. The Patriots and Bears are ranked fifth and sixth in the league in scoring defense, respectively. Both units are top 10 in the NFL against the run, which will likely put more of an onus on quarterbacks Drake Maye and Caleb Williams.
After a slow start, Maye has looked more like his 2025 self in recent weeks, which is one reason New England has ripped off three straight wins after a 1-2 start. Williams, who returned this past Sunday after a three-week absence, showed no signs of rust against the Falcons. He threw for 305 yards while completing 30 of 36 passes.
Which team will come out on top tonight? To find out, follow along in our live blog below, as we'll be providing updates, highlights and analysis throughout the night.
Kyler Gordon comes in and sacks Maye on fourth-and-5 from the Bears' 45-yard-line. Not sure what Maye was trying to do there. He had a receiver open in the flat who broke downfield but instead stepped right into a sack.
I like the Patriots' decision to go for it, but the play/execution was rough.
Patriots to receive after Bears deferred to the second half.
Bears fans "welcome" the Partiots to Soldier Field. New England is 1-2 on the road this season, but their road win was memorable. They handed the Bills their first loss in their new stadium.
As noted above, tonight is a rematch of Super Bowl XX, a game the Bears dominated from start to finish. Chicago's 46-10 included a defensive masterpiece by the Bears' 46 defense. The unit recorded seven sacks and forced six turnovers that included a pick-six. Chicago's defense allowed just seven rushing yards, a Super Bowl record.
Defensive end (and future Hall of Famer) Richard Dent took home MVP honors, becoming the fifth defensive player to win the honor and the first in eight years.
Williams has enjoyed a dramatic increase in productivity since Ben Johnson became his coach in 2025. He's completed over 72% of his passes in two of three games this season. I'm curious tonight to see how he attacks the Patriots' defense. Specifically, how many deep shots will he take?
A perfect night for football. Will be 59 degrees at kickoff and temp is expected to dip just a few degrees as the game progresses. Very little wind.
CB Christian Gonzalez isn't on the inactive list and will try to play through an illness. Will be interesting to see if Caleb Williams tests him early.
With Monangai missing a third straight game, D'Andre Swift is once again going to be Chicago's bell cow. He's only run for a combined 77 yards in Chicago's last two games, but Swift does have three touchdowns over that span.
Welcome to tonight's big Week 7 Thursday night showdown between the Patriots and the Bears. It's a matchup between two 4-2 teams that are hoping to keep pace with the leaders in their respective divisions.
Tonight will include some nostalgia. This game is a rematch of Super Bowl XX, which the Bears won in what remains the franchise's only Super Bowl title. The Bears will honor that team's coach, Mike Ditka, who passed away 13 days ago.
