Pats-Bears Game Balls

The New England Patriots-Chicago Bears game was to be a down and dirty showdown in a snowy Soldier Field. The game was to be a low-scoring affair, and it was-for the Bears. The Patriots soundly defeated another first-place, division-leading team and cruised to their 11th victory (5th straight) and a playoff berth. Many of the experts said that the Pats would not be able to execute offensively in the snowy weather and that the game was tailor-made for the Bears. However, Tom Brady and the rest of the offense showed that not only can they execute in the snow, but they can do so with great efficiency. There are plenty of game balls that could be handed out, but let’s look at the real stand-out players and then you can vote for the Player of the Game.

• QB Tom Brady. It seems as though Brady gets a game ball every week, and he has almost every week. He deserves every accolade he gets this season and is putting up an MVP-caliber season. Brady continued his superb play Sunday in Chicago, going 27 of 40 for 369 yards, his highest single-game total of the season, 2 touchdowns and no interceptions yet again. His QB rating was 113.4. What makes those numbers all the more impressive is that he put up those numbers in windy, snowy conditions.
• WR Deion Branch. Branch and Brady have rekindled the chemistry they had during the early part of the decade. Branch caught 8 balls for 151 yards and a 59-yard touchdown. The touchdown play came at the end of the first half and caught the Bears sleeping. It seemed as though the Pats were going to run out the clock, but Branch and Brady had other ideas. Branch sneaked behind the Cover-2 and Brady connected with him for an easy score.
• LB Gary Guyton. Guyton had a phenomenal game starting in place of the suspended Brandon Spikes. Guyton had 3 tackles, an interception, and a fumble recovery that he returned for a touchdown.

Your turn!