Many people had concerns about how the Patriots' offense would look going into the 2026 season. In Week 1, many felt validated in their concerns about the lack of offseason moves to improve the group.
Even with the addition of A.J. Brown, Drake Maye and the rest of the offense didn't fare so well against their Super Bowl opponent in their rematch, and that continued over the next few weeks.
Aside from concerns about the receiving corps, especially after Brown went to injured reserve with an ankle sprain, missing posters for Hunter Henry were plastered around New England, who had almost become invisible at the start of the season, despite becoming Maye's security blanket target over the last two years.
That changed in the same game that saw Maye put on his best performance of the season so far, when they defeated the Bills on the road in Week 4. Henry's resurgence became a topic of discussion, and his game-day involvement has only increased since then.
He's now cemented his place in Patriots' franchise history, and he will have the chance to build on that even further against a Bears defense that has struggled against tight ends this season.
It's something Josh McDaniels should exploit this week, as it will give Maye an easy chance to move the football down the field with a playmaker he trusts the most.
Hunter Henry should be heavily involved in the Patriots' offense this week
After facing back-to-back defenses ranked in the top 10, the Patriots are set to face another solid defensive unit when they visit the Bears on Thursday night.
One of their most notable stats is their league-worst completion rate (78%) against multiple tight-end formations, which McDaniels has historically loved to run when he has the right players. Given Henry's trust level and how well rookie Eli Raridon has looked so far, it would be wise for the offensive coordinator to ramp up those plays this week.
Exploiting that major weakness could do a lot of good for the offense, and they could also include a few other players to mix things up, even if they want to run 13 personnel.
Cameron Latu is a free-agent addition who has mostly been used on special teams, and Tanner Arkin is a rookie who made a big impact over the summer, earning him a spot on this year's roster.
Using either of them could increase their ability to run tight-end-heavy plays the Bears' defense can't shut down, benefiting not only Maye but also the already-banged-up offensive line. It's a win-win situation McDaniels can't ignore.
Competing against a good Bears team and maybe stealing a road win could be another turning point in the Patriots' season, further proving they are a legitimate team capable of competing with the league's best this year.
Taking advantage of their biggest weaknesses with some of their best players is an easy way to do that, and with Henry on a run right now, there's no reason not to use him as much as possible on Thursday night.
We saw McDaniels "get in his bag" over the last two weeks, with impressive play-calling and trick plays that didn't feel desperate, so they'll need that and his comfort with multiple tight-end play calls to get the job done in a short week.
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