It's Drake Maye versus Caleb
Williams as the New England Patriots visit the Chicago Bears
[October 22, 2026]
By JAY COHEN
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Caleb Williams and Drake Maye have known
each other for years. They were part of the same draft class, and
they grew up going to the same football camps.
Maye's mobility, Williams said, always has been a weapon for him.
"We’ve got to be able to bottle him up,” he said.
Maye leads the New England Patriots into Soldier Field on Thursday
night to take on Williams and the Chicago Bears in a matchup of two
of the NFL's top young quarterbacks. Both Maye and Williams have a
big right arm, but they are also dangerous with their legs.
“I think Drake Maye’s one of those guys that does an outstanding job
with his feet,” Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said.
“There’s been times where you watch it and there’s pressure on the
quarterback and he makes people miss and creates some plays down the
field.”
The 24-year-old Maye seems to have settled down after a rough start
to the season. He has completed 64.1% of his passes for 878 yards
and 10 touchdowns during New England's three-game winning streak,
throwing just one interception during the impressive stretch.
He could become the first Patriots QB since Tom Brady in 2014 to
throw for at least three TDs in four consecutive games.
“It’s a dangerous combination of a guy that’s an elite deep-ball
thrower along with he can crush you with his legs,” Bears coach Ben
Johnson said. “I think that combination is deadly. It’s really
picked up steam over these last three games.”
Maye was selected by New England with the No. 3 pick in 2024, two
spots after Williams went No. 1 overall to Chicago.
Williams, who turns 25 on Nov. 18, missed three games with a right
hamstring injury before returning on Sunday at Atlanta. He showed no
signs of any rust, going 30 for 36 for 305 yards and a touchdown in
a 31-23 victory over the Falcons.
“He’s special in the way he can move and kind of escape and evade
pressure, and throwing on the run is pretty cool to watch,” Maye
said. “So I don’t know if I’m that shifty in the pocket. He can do
some cool things, and he’s got crazy arm talent, and it’s fun to
watch.”
Patriots safety Kevin Byard went up against Williams in practice
during the previous two seasons with the Bears. He said Williams is
an elite athlete who is tough to bring down in the pocket.
“I’ve been in this league long enough. I kind of know what the whole
deal is gonna be,” Byard said. "Caleb versus Drake, obviously same
draft class, two phenomenal quarterbacks. Drake’s been playing
phenomenal, Caleb’s been playing phenomenal. So I think for us it’s
gonna be a 60-minute mental fight on both sides of the ball.”
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Need to know
New England (4-2) at Chicago (4-2)
When/where to watch: Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EDT, Prime Video.
Latest odds: Bears by 3.
Against the spread: Patriots 3-1-2; Bears 4-2.
Last week: Patriots beat the New York Jets 26-19; Bears beat the
Falcons 31-23.
Last meeting: Patriots beat the Bears 19-3 on Nov. 10, 2024, at
Soldier Field in Chicago.
Series record: Patriots lead 11-5, counting the playoffs.
Matchup to watch
Patriots WR A.J. Brown vs. Bears CB Jaylon Johnson. Brown is looking
to bounce back after he had a rough game in his return from a high
ankle sprain. He was targeted 10 times in Sunday's win over the
Jets, but he dropped three balls and finished with just three
catches for 27 yards. The Patriots are looking for more from Brown
after they acquired the receiver in a June 1 trade with the Eagles.
Johnson and the Bears held the Falcons to 257 yards overall.
Stats and stuff
— The Patriots did not allow a sack in their Week 6 victory over the
Jets for the first time this season.
— Hunter Henry has 28 touchdown receptions in six seasons with the
Patriots, tied with Russ Francis for third on the franchise list for
tight ends. Rob Gronkowski is first with 79, followed by Ben Coates
with 50.
— Bears guard Joe Thuney was drafted by New England in 2016 and
played for the Patriots for five seasons, winning two Super Bowls
with his first NFL team.
— The Bears are averaging an NFL-high 160.7 yards rushing per game.
— D’Andre Swift has rushed for three touchdowns for Chicago over the
past two games, giving him six on the season. He could become the
first Bears running back to rush for seven or more touchdowns in the
first seven games of a season since Neal Anderson in 1990.
— Bears safety Dillon Thieneman is the only rookie defensive back in
the NFL with at least 35 tackles, one INT and one sack.
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AP Sports Writer Kyle Hightower contributed.
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