Sunday’s 38-31 Patriots win over the Bears at Soldier Field was likely Bill Belichick’s favorite victory in years. A special teams fanatic, Belichick watched the Patriots score two touchdowns via the third and forgotten unit as Cordarrelle Patterson had a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and Kyle Van Noy returned a blocked punt for a TD.
The Pats broke a 24-24 tie in the third quarter when Donta Hightower powered through the Bears line and cleanly blocked Pat O’Donnell’s punt. Van Noy scooped it up, running 29 yards for the score. It was the first Patriots blocked punt return for a touchdown since 1996, a year in which they reached the Super Bowl under Bill Parcells.
Patterson’s touchdown return off the kickoff was the sixth of his career, and it made up for an earlier gaffe that directly led to a Chicago touchdown. Patterson fumbled a kickoff in the first quarter as Nick Kwiakoski punched the ball loose. The Bears recovered and went into the end zone five plays later when Mitchell Trubisky scampered in from eight yards out.
Trubisky actually led Chicago in rushing on the day with 81 yards on six carries. Passing the ball he wasn’t nearly as effective as he connected on just 26-of-50 passes for 333 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He finished the game with a 69.8 passer rating. Jonathan Jones and JC Jackson had the two picks for the Patriots.
Josh Gordon led the Patriots in receiving on the day, hauling in four of Tom Brady’s passes for 100 yards. It was Gordon’s first 100-yard performance in a Patriots uniform.
