Yahoo Sports Staff Updated Fri, October 23, 2026 at 12:11 AM UTC About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In this story Week 7 of the 2026 NFL season kicks off as the New England Patriots visit the Chicago Bears for a prime-time showdown at 8:15 p.m. ET Thursday at Soldier Field.
After starting the year 1-2 and averaging 12 points per game, the Patriots (4-2) have won three straight, averaging 33.3 points per game as quarterback Drake Maye finds his rhythm. In his past three games, he has 10 touchdown passes, 1 interception and 2 sacks, after totaling 1 touchdown, 6 interceptions and 9 sacks through the first three weeks.
Star wideout A.J. Brown returned from injured reserve last week after suffering a high ankle sprain in Week 1, but he got off to a slow start with three catches for 27 yards. Following his offseason trade from the Philadelphia Eagles, Brown has just 53 receiving yards on 83 snaps this season.
The Bears also got a star back on offense last week, as Caleb Williams returned from a hamstring injury suffered in Week 2. The injury didn't land him on IR, but he missed three games. He was sensational in his return , completing a career-high 83.3% of his passes and throwing a highlight-reel touchdown to tight end Colston Loveland — the tight end's first score of the season.
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for live updates, highlights and more as two of the top three 2024 NFL Draft picks face off on "Thursday Night Football" in Week 7, airing on Prime Video .
In their first home game since the death of Bears legend Mike Ditka , Chicago will be paying tribute to the team's former head coach and player throughout the night.
Pregame, mascot Staley Da Bear was spotted wearing Ditka's iconic mustache, glasses and sweater vest; other fans donned the look as well. A moment of silence was held shortly before kickoff.
Bears players wore a No. 89 decal on their helmets in honor of the coach the week after his death.
The Chicago Bears are 3-point home favorites against the suddenly red-hot New England Patriots on Thursday night. Chicago welcomed Caleb Williams back on Sunday against Atlanta, and the Bears offense looked borderline unstoppable for stretches of the game in building a 31-7 lead, before two late Atlanta scores made the final closer than it should've been. Drake Maye has turned his season around, but will have his hands full trying to keep up with Chicago's offense. This total has already gone up a couple points from its opener, but I expect a great game between two potential playoff teams in this one that goes over the total of 50.5.
What else do you need to know for Thursday night? Check out our TNF preview , including our pick for key player to watch and biggest fantasy football storylines.
Through the first three weeks of the season, it sure looked like Drake Maye and the New England Patriots were suffering from a nasty Super Bowl hangover.
But the narrative has shifted over the past three games, as Maye seems to have found his rhythm. Check out his stats over each span:
Is there any quarterback in the NFL hotter than Maye right now? I think not.
Maye has been sensational of late, throwing for 878 yards and 10 touchdowns versus just one interception during the Patriots' three-game winning streak. He's also the first New England QB to have three consecutive games with at least three TD passes since Tom Brady, who achieved the feat in 2017.
Maye has cleared this number in three of his last five starts, so I don't see what's stopping him here. His numbers (18 of 35, 235 yards, 3 TDs) against the Jets would have been better had his receivers made routine catches, including A.J. Brown and the three drops he had in the win.
Check out the rest of our favorite bets for TNF, including a pick against the spread.
Moneyline odds: Bears -156, Patriots +132
The Patriots lost 13-10 at Seattle in the opener, when they were in position to kick a game-tying field goal at the end. If that turns out different, we're having a much different conversation about the Patriots. They have blown out the Steelers and Raiders, who have had some good moments this season. They won at the Bills. The win over the Jets might not have been dominant but they were up 10 points going into the final minute.
Of course, the Patriots' season turned when Drake Maye started to heat up. Through three games he had 585 yards, one touchdown and six interceptions. In the three games since he has 878 yards, 10 touchdowns and one interception. A.J. Brown is back (though Romeo Doubs went on injured reserve with a shoulder injury ) so the Patriots' offense should continue to flourish. They're up to No. 7 in the power rankings from No. 11 last week.
Meanwhile, the Bears' 31-23 win over the Falcons wasn't really that close. The Bears let down in the fourth quarter, turning a 31-7 lead into a one-score game. That's not ideal but the way they played through three quarters in Caleb Williams' return was impressive.
Cornerback Kyler Gordon's odd 2026 took a positive turn. Gordon had missed the offseason and the first five games due to a calf injury, prompting questions about his future with the team. In just 17 snaps on Sunday, Gordon had three sacks and two forced fumbles. He's the first Bears defensive back with three sacks in a game since Todd Bell in 1983. He's just the second defensive back in NFL history with three sacks and two forced fumbles in a game, joining Rod Kush of the Houston Oilers in 1985, according to the Bears' site . His playmaking will be welcomed on the Bears' defense.
The Bears are up to No. 6 in the power rankings this week, compared to No. 8 last week.
With less than 90 minutes remaining until the Patriots and Bears kick off, each team has announced its inactives for Week 7.
The Chicago Bears released their final injury report on Wednesday, offering fans both good and bad news ahead of Thursday night's matchup.
The bad news? The Bears ruled out running back Kyle Monangai for the second straight game with thumb and toe injuries. Monangai suffered the injuries in Week 4, when he had a 30-carry outing with 150 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns. Starting linebacker T.J. Edwards was also listed as "doubtful" with a hamstring injury after missing Week 6.
The good news is that the team will have starting right guard Jonah Jackson available, who did not have a final injury designation after being listed as a non-participant in Monday's walkthrough. He'll be good to go for Thursday night.
Just days after Christian Gonzalez made a return from a shoulder injury that held him out for two games, he's now been downgraded to "questionable" with an illness for Thursday night, the team announced prior to the inactive announcements.
It could be that the team is just doing its due diligence in reporting Gonzalez's illness even if he is expected to play. We'll soon find out when inactives drop at 6:45 p.m. ET.
Source: Sports
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