FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The Bears looked like a new team as they raced to an early lead against the Patriots, then slipped into the same problems that have derailed them all season.
But after all that, a couple big plays in the final minutes of the second quarter sent them into halftime with a 20-14 lead.
The Bears were up 10-0 with two minutes left in the first quarter.
They forced the Patriots into three-and-outs on their first two possessions and answered each time with a score. Cairo Santos kicked a 42-yard field goal, then Fields finished a 56-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown run.
Fields has completed 9 of 13 passes for 133 yards with a touchdown and an interception and has a 96.0 passer rating. He has also run 10 times for 74 yards and a touchdown.
The Patriots brought back quarterback Mac Jones after he’d missed three games with a sprained ankle, but the Bears bounced him from the game in the second quarter. Jones completed 3 of 6 passes for 13 yards, and his last throw was picked off by rookie safety Jaquan Brisker.
The Patriots turned to rookie Bailey Zappe, who quickly connected with Jakobi Meyers for a 30-yard touchdown pass to get them back in the game.
With the Patriots up 14-10 with six minutes until halftime, the Bears drove 75 yards and got a touchdown pass on Fields’ screen pass to Khalil Herbert for 25 yards to retake the lead 17-14. Then Zappe fumbled at his own 37-yard line, and defensive tackle Justin Jones recovered it.
The Bears turned that into a 23-yard field goal by Santos as time expired.
