As exciting as the Patriots have become amid the spread of Zappe Fevah, their two-game win streak has come against two of the worst defenses in the NFL.

Their next opponent, the historically stout Chicago Bears, are … also one of the worst defenses in the NFL. Well, against the run, anyway, where they’ve allowed the ninth-most yards per carry (4.8) entering Week 7. But those struggles on the ground belie what’s been a mostly effective pass defense, and established playmakers are sprinkled throughout every level.

This unit is the Bears’ best hope to pull off the road upset on Monday Night Football, and they stand to give the Pats offense a bigger challenge than the Lions or Browns did.

“Defensively, [Bears head coach] Matt’s [Eberflus] obviously brought his very successful system from Indianapolis with him,” said Bill Belichick, as part of an extended monologue about the 2-4 Bears. “In Indy, they led the league in turnovers for four straight years. Forced a lot of fumbles. They’re very disruptive on the ball. Ball security is going to be a big issue. They’ve got a lot of outstanding players. They’re hard to block on the front.”

Headlining the Bears defense is, what else, their middle linebacker. Former eighth overall pick Roquan Smith is tied for the league lead in total tackles (66) through six weeks, and has stuffed the box score with 1.5 sacks, two QB hits, three tackles for loss, two pass breakups, and an interception. Fellow inside ‘backer Nicholas Morrow (46 tackles, two for loss) figures to be on the field every play, as well.

The Bears have allowed the seventh-fewest receptions to running backs (22), with their linebacker production at the center of that. So you can expect this to be a tougher matchup for Rhamondre Stevenson and the Patriots’ stable of backs when they get the ball.

“He’s sideline-to-sideline, he’s almost in on every tackle, so we’re gonna have to block him up,” Stevenson said of Smith. “That’s our way to make yards in the run game this week is blocking the linebackers.”

If the Patriots can execute their second-level blocks, they should feel good about their chances running the ball to the left, behind tackle Trent Brown and guard Cole Strange. The Bears rank 31st against runs to the left end (8.1 yards per carry) and 21st against runs to the left tackle (5.2), per NFL Game Stats & Info.

Those runs would be headed in the direction of veteran defensive end Robert Quinn, whom Belichick coincidentally described as “one of the great defensive linemen in this era” earlier this week. Perhaps Belichick was just blowing the proverbial smoke, or trying to keep Brown forewarned. But the Patriots sound like they still take the 32-year-old Quinn very seriously.

It’s would to be hard to believe they’re taking defensive tackle Justin Jones seriously, certainly not after he invoked DeflateGate during an “interview” with some weird Chicago radio person. Jones has a 37.0 grade from PFF this season, which is poor. So if anything, his gap is another area to exploit.

But back to the playmakers. As talented as Smith and the linebackers are, the Bears’ deepest group of playmakers comes on the back end. Safety Eddie Jackson (three interceptions, two forced fumbles, 43 tackles) is enjoying a renaissance season under Eberflus’ new system. Cornerback Jaylon Johnson, a 2020 second-round pick, is emerging in his third season with just a 58.6 passer rating against him (via Pro Football Focus). Rookie second-rounder Jaquan Brisker is their version of Kyle Dugger, lining up all over the field.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – SEPTEMBER 11: Safety Eddie Jackson #4 of the Chicago Bears celebrates with linebacker Nicholas Morrow #53 of the Chicago Bears and safety Jaquan Brisker #9 of the Chicago Bears after an interception during the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Soldier Field on September 11, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The Patriots are also mindful of the Bears’ ability to adjust their defense in-game, a quality that was subpar for the Browns and practically nonexistent for the Lions. Chicago has allowed 5.8 second-half points per game, the fourth-best mark in the league. So New England may feel some urgency to build an appreciable halftime lead, and avoid the type of game that could come down to one or two momentous plays late.

New England has made some sound offensive play-calls in recent weeks, so it’ll be interesting to see how Matt Patricia decides to exploit the Bears defense, and how sustainable any success would be. But Chicago should be able to limit the points and yards more often than Detroit or Cleveland, regardless of who’s at quarterback for the Patriots.

And if they do, this game will become a lot more interesting than the last two.

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Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @realmattdolloff. Check out all of Matt’s content here.