TrendRundown › Sports · updated Oct 22, 1:01 AM EDT

Why is “Patriots vs Bears” trending?

Patriots and Bears meet Thursday night at Soldier Field in Week 7

New England and Chicago play a prime-time NFL Week 7 game on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at Soldier Field. Both clubs enter at 4-2, and the Bears could move to 5-2 with a win, which would be their best start since 2020, according to NFL.com. The matchup pairs two quarterbacks from the 2024 draft class, Drake Maye and Caleb Williams, who were the first and third overall picks. Maye has thrown 10 touchdown passes over the past three games, and the Patriots have won three straight. Williams returned from a hamstring injury last week in a 31-23 win over Atlanta.

Several storylines are drawing attention. New England's A.J. Brown had a quiet return from injury in a loss to the Jets, and receiver Romeo Doubs is out with a shoulder injury. Chicago's defense has faced questions about whether its takeaway-heavy 2025 season was sustainable, and Bears coach Ben Johnson praised Maye's deep throws and running ability in his pregame comments, per NBC Sports. Television listings and broadcast details were reported by Yahoo Sports and other outlets.

Key facts

• Patriots vs. Bears is Thursday, October 22, 2026, at Soldier Field, in prime time.
• Both teams are 4-2; a Bears win would give them a 5-2 start, their best since 2020 (NFL.com).
• Drake Maye and Caleb Williams, both 2024 draft picks, are the central quarterback matchup.
• Patriots have won three straight; Maye leads the NFL with 10 passing touchdowns over the past three games (NFL.com).
• A.J. Brown had three catches for 27 yards in his return; Romeo Doubs is out with a shoulder injury.

What we don't know yet

Reports do not agree on every detail of who will be available, and the final injury status of key players for Thursday is not fully confirmed in the sources.

Our summary of reporting by NFL.com, NBC Sports, Yahoo Sports, The New York Times, ESPN, Sports Illustrated. Written with AI assistance and checked against the sources; read the full stories at the links below. Updated Oct 22, 1:02 AM EDT.

More in Sports

All Sports topics →

Trend data

What the headlines say

• NFL.comPatriots vs. Bears: Three must-know storylines for Thursday's Week 7 prime-time gameOct 22, 12:00 AM EDT
• NBC SportsBen Johnson: Drake Maye is an elite deep ball thrower, can crush you with his legsOct 22, 12:00 AM EDT
• Yahoo SportsWho plays on 'Thursday Night Football' tonight? Time, TV channel, schedule, live stream for NFL Week 7 gameOct 22, 12:00 AM EDT
• The New York TimesNFL best bets Week 7: Bears to cover vs. Patriots, Bengals-Ravens under, more picks - The AthleticOct 22, 12:00 AM EDT
• Yahoo SportsNew England Patriots @ Chicago Bears: Live game updates, stats, play-by-playOct 21, 10:31 PM EDT
• ESPNPatriots vs. Bears (Oct 22, 2026) PregameOct 21, 9:42 PM EDT
• Yahoo SportsWho has the edge between the Patriots and Bears?Oct 21, 7:30 PM EDT
• Sports IllustratedPatriots vs. Bears Best Anytime Touchdown Scorer Picks for Thursday Night Football in NFL Week 7Oct 21, 7:30 PM EDT
• Yahoo SportsPatriots vs. Bears 'Thursday Night Football' betting odds, picks and predictions: Best bets, player propsOct 21, 7:19 PM EDT
• Sports IllustratedPatriots vs. Bears Best NFL Prop Bets for Thursday Night Football in Week 7 (Bet on Drake Maye)Oct 21, 7:00 PM EDT
• Yahoo SportsBears Can’t Ignore 3 Key Stats About Patriots in Week 7Oct 21, 6:51 PM EDT
• CBS Sports'Thursday Night Football' prediction, odds, time: Bears vs. Patriots picks by expert on 19-9 runOct 21, 2:00 PM EDT
• Yahoo SportsWeek 7 game preview: Chicago Bears vs. New England PatriotsOct 21, 1:30 PM EDT
• Yahoo SportsPatriots-Bears Week 7 preview: Keys to victory, prediction and moreOct 21, 10:39 AM EDT
• Yahoo SportsPatriots veteran OL reveals he will make first career start vs. BearsOct 21, 10:11 AM EDT
• Sports IllustratedPatriots vs. Bears Odds Shift Towards Chicago, Caleb Williams Ahead of Thursday Night Football in Week 7Oct 21, 7:50 AM EDT

How the story unfolded

• Oct 21, 7:50 AM EDT — Sports Illustrated: Patriots vs. Bears Odds Shift Towards Chicago, Caleb Williams Ahead of Thursday Night Football in Week 7
• Oct 21, 10:11 AM EDT — Yahoo Sports: Patriots veteran OL reveals he will make first career start vs. Bears
• Oct 21, 10:39 AM EDT — Yahoo Sports: Patriots-Bears Week 7 preview: Keys to victory, prediction and more
• Oct 21, 1:30 PM EDT — Yahoo Sports: Week 7 game preview: Chicago Bears vs. New England Patriots
• Oct 21, 2:00 PM EDT — CBS Sports: 'Thursday Night Football' prediction, odds, time: Bears vs. Patriots picks by expert on 19-9 run
• Oct 21, 6:51 PM EDT — Yahoo Sports: Bears Can’t Ignore 3 Key Stats About Patriots in Week 7
• Oct 21, 7:00 PM EDT — Sports Illustrated: Patriots vs. Bears Best NFL Prop Bets for Thursday Night Football in Week 7 (Bet on Drake Maye)
• Oct 21, 7:19 PM EDT — Yahoo Sports: Patriots vs. Bears 'Thursday Night Football' betting odds, picks and predictions: Best bets, player props
• Oct 21, 7:30 PM EDT — Sports Illustrated: Patriots vs. Bears Best Anytime Touchdown Scorer Picks for Thursday Night Football in NFL Week 7
• Oct 21, 7:30 PM EDT — Yahoo Sports: Who has the edge between the Patriots and Bears?
• Oct 21, 9:42 PM EDT — ESPN: Patriots vs. Bears (Oct 22, 2026) Pregame
• Oct 21, 10:31 PM EDT — Yahoo Sports: New England Patriots @ Chicago Bears: Live game updates, stats, play-by-play

Other trending topics