Stronger, hungrier, better: New England Patriots beat Chicago Bears
The anticipated meeting between Chicago Bears and New England Patriots resulted in the Patriots winning 17-13.
It was a sloppy, turnover-filled game with marred by awful officiating, but in the end the better team won, almost in spite of itself. Patriots leading receiver, tight end Ben Watson, coughed up two fumbles but also caught a curiosly underthrown pass from quarterback Tom Brady for the game winning touchdown. He also made a huge catch for 40 yards on a third down play in the drive that ende up with the touchdown.
It was a physically tough game and several players left with injuries, among them Junior Seau who left with an arm injury.
New England cornerback Asante Samuel was the player of the game with three interceptions, including the game-icing pick on a deep throw over the middle inside the second half two-minute warning.
Chicago’s middle linebacker Brian Urlacher is a monster of a football player. He crunched New England’s runningbacks, including the powerful and Corey Dillon and flat-out knocked out Patriots 320-some pounds right-tackle Ryan O’Callaghan who had to leave the game. Yet Brady managed to elude Urlacher to pick up a big first down on a mad scramble in Urlacher’s direction during the drive that ended with Watson’s touchdown reception.
Brady threw one touchdown pass and two interceptions. One of the interceptions came off a high pass that Troy Brown tipped into thin air.
Brown made only one catch but it was good for 13 yards and a first down. He also helped out as nickelback in New England’s typically injury-riddled secondary.
Tight end Daniel Graham was in fine form blocking-wise and made one spectacular, leaping 25-yard finger-tip catch.
New England’s first-round rookie Chad Jackson came up with zero catches and lost 8 yards on a quite over-engineered double-reverse play. Jackson was mugged on a deep pass down the right sideline when a Bears defensive back got away with a flagrant face guard.
The overall inadequate quality of New England’s receivers was on display in the game.
Troy Aikman, colorman to play-by-play caller Joe Buck, called New England’s offensive line underrated at the start of the game. I disagree, I think the line is getting about the due it deserves: It’s above average but nothing more.
Heath Evans had a decent night at fullback but on one play he failed to finish off a blockee who managed to trip Dillon who lost balance and then the ball when a couple of other defensive players crashed into him.
