Chicago also utilizes six or fewer men in the box at one of the highest rates in the league, which invites opponents to run the ball. They're third in the NFL in the rate at which they have utilized Cover-2, for example. New Bears coach Matt Eberflus runs a zone-heavy coverage scheme, though. If you can stay in tight coverage against these receivers, you can force Jones to have to throw somebody open, and that's not his game. It plays against Jones' strength of quickly diagnosing coverage and getting the ball to a playmaker in space. ( Jakobi Meyers is the only one who has shown a consistent ability to create separation, though DeVante Parker has been pretty good in contested catch situations throughout his career.) They saw plenty of man last season as well. The Patriots have seen more man coverage than any team in the NFL so far this season (38.4% of passing snaps, per TruMedia), because opponents simply do not believe that New England's receivers can beat them. Chicago has been much more vulnerable to wide receiver production in the passing game than either backs (11th-fewest yards allowed) or tight ends (eighth-fewest), though, and that could put some pressure on the weakest position group on New England's offense. Jones will be working with a deeper and more dynamic skill-position group than when we last saw him in the lineup, thanks to the return of rookie Tyquan Thornton (6 catches for 44 yards and a touchdown, 3 carries for 16 yards and a touchdown in his first two games), plus both running backs and both tight ends ( Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith) being at full strength. Running back Damien Harris is also back, though Rhamondre Stevenson's dominance in his absence may leave Harris with a smaller role than the one he had before his balky hamstring started acting up. New England gets its starting quarterback back for this game, as Jones returns from a three-week absence due to a high ankle sprain. There was an error processing your subscription. is about to have the game of his life, the Bears probably won't have all that much success throwing the ball. The Patriots also have a very sticky coverage unit, so unless Darnell Mooney or Velus Jones Jr. He seems unlikely to find all that many open receivers when he looks downfield, given how his wideouts have performed throughout this season. (And he routinely holds the ball for way too long.) He has the ability to make some of the "wow" throws, but is not yet nearly consistent enough. Still, even while so rarely dropping back, Fields took a league-high 23 sacks through the first six weeks of the season, and he tossed five interceptions. We have seen that throughout the season, during which he has yet to throw more than 27 passes in a game. Of course, if the Bears have their way, Fields' role as a passer will be minimized anyway. Fields does not have that luxury, and it seems highly likely that Belichick will figure out a way to keep him in check on Monday night. Even quarterbacks who had excellent supporting casts propping up their performance. Bill Belichick has routinely stymied offenses led by rookie-contract quarterbacks throughout his career.
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