Brady-less Patriots sharp in 23-22 win over Chicago Bears
As the Patriots welcomed the Chicago Bears to Gillette Stadium for their second preseason matchup, it was expected that Tom Brady would see some playing time while he's able to actually take the field.
That did not come to fruition, however, in what could only be classified as a freak injury. Brady was sidelined just before the game after slicing his thumb with a pair of scissors (see story), which was serious enough to warrant leaving the stadium.
His services were not required, however, as the Patriots held on to top the Bears, 23-20. Stephen Gostkowski was a perfect 3 for 3 on field goals (of 21, 29 and 44 yards, respectively), while LeGarrette Blount rushed for his second touchdown of the preseason and A.J. Derby caught his first touchdown.
Robbie Gould opened the scoring for the Bears (0-2) with a 36-yard field goal, and Jeremy Langford rushed for a touchdown (followed up with a Rob Housler two-point conversion) to give the Bears an 11-0 lead at the end of the opening quarter.
Gostkowski, Blount and Derby helped the Patriots (2-0) take control in the second quarter, with Derby's touchdown coming with just 17 seconds left to send the Pats to the locker room at halftime with a 17-11 lead.
A pair of Gostkowski field goals were the only points recorded in the third quarter, while the Bears embarked on a fourth-quarter charge. Gould made another 36-yarder to bring the Bears within nine, and B.J. Daniels caught a 22-yard touchdown as time expired. Darrin Peterson completed the two-point conversion, but it was fruitless, as it brought the Bears just a point shy of a tie.
Jimmy Garoppolo was stellar for the Patriots, completing 16 of 21 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown. Blount's 11 carries for 69 yards carried the weight on the ground, while Derby's six catches for 71 yards led all receivers.
Jacoby Brissett completed nine of 13 passes in his second game as a Patriot, though he was sacked thrice.
Brian Hoyer was a disastrous 4 of 14 for the Bears, though his 85 yards still managed to lead all three quarterbacks. Jay Cutler was 8 of 12 for 83 yards, while Connor Shaw was sharp at 4 of 6 for 42 yards and a touchdown.
Jeremy Langford ran for 55 yards on eight carries to lead the Bears, while Housler caught just one pass for 52 yards.
Cyrus Jones recorded his second turnover in as many games, intercepting a Hoyer pass in the second quarter. Justin Coleman led the Patriots with six tackles, while Jerrell Freeman tackled nine Patriots.
Both the Patriots and Bears gained familiarity with each other earlier in the week, as the Bears stopped by the Gillette Stadium practice fields for a pair of joint practices. The Patriots next head to Carolina for the penultimate game of their preseason on Aug. 26.
Follow Rob Riches on Twitter @Riches61
