Bears have back-to-back losses and are at a potential tipping point heading into game vs. Patriots

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) - The Chicago Bears are at a potential tipping point with back-to-back losses heading into their game against the New England Patriots on Sunday.

No need to remind tight end Cole Kmet.

"You feel that at certain points,” he said. “We have to win this game to get back on track and get above .500 again."

Chicago (4-4) simply can’t afford to stumble against the Patriots (2-7) in a game featuring quarterbacks drafted with two of the top three picks this year, with the Bears’ Caleb Williams going against Drake Maye. New England is tied with six teams for the NFL’s worst record.

The Bears were flat in a 29-9 loss at Arizona, managing just three field goals after a tough loss at Washington the previous week. They lost that game 18-15 following a bye on a Hail Mary TD pass from Jayden Daniels to Noah Brown.

Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson got caught on social media motioning to the crowd and having his back turned as the Commanders snapped the ball, and the coaches made several questionable decisions down the stretch. It led to players openly questioning the calls and raised doubts about whether the staff has lost the locker room.

If the Bears don’t beat New England, well, buckle up. The schedule’s about to take a tougher turn.

Six of Chicago’s final eight games are against the NFC North, a stretch starting with Green Bay’s visit on Nov. 17. The Bears also play at San Francisco and host Seattle.

Those teams are a combined 27-15, led by Detroit at 7-1. Only Seattle (4-5) has a losing record. By comparison, Chicago’s wins are against teams that are 10-24 - Tennessee (2-6), the Los Angeles Rams (4-4), Carolina (2-7) and Jacksonville (2-7).

New England, meanwhile, is coming off a wild loss of its own, falling 20-17 in overtime at Tennessee last week.

Maye threw a dazzling touchdown pass at the end of regulation, dodging defenders for 12 seconds before finding Rhamondre Stevenson in the end zone as he was hit to force overtime. But he also threw an interception in OT, sending the Patriots to their seventh loss in eight weeks.

"I always feel that we're always close, but close isn't good enough," cornerback Christian Gonzalez said. "It's Week 10. We've got to make it click now. Offensively, defensively and special teams, we've got to play a full game and complement each other."

Williams will be going against a top rookie QB for the second time in three games after coming up short against Daniels, the No. 2 pick.

Williams has cooled following a red-hot stretch, with a 65.4 passer rating and 49.2% completion rate (32 of 65) the past two games. In the four previous games, he threw for nine touchdowns and three interceptions.

Maye passed for 206 yards and ran for 95 in a performance marked by highlight-reel plays and reminders that he is a work in progress. He and Williams know each other rather well.

"You spend a lot of time with those guys," Maye said. “You see them, some on visits, some at the combine. With Caleb, I've seen him since high school … going to the same camps. We had some college visits together and we (were) at Elite 11 (camp) together. I enjoyed watching him do his thing in college. Now, we get a chance to compete."

Bears star receiver DJ Moore has been a nonfactor in recent games and so has Kmet. That’s something Chicago needs to change.

Moore has 374 yards receiving and three touchdowns after setting career highs with 1,364 yards and eight TDs last year following a trade from Carolina. He simply hasn't developed the sort of chemistry with Williams that he had with Justin Fields.

Moore's lone 100-yard outing was in a win over Carolina. In the three games since, he has just 80 yards receiving.

Kmet wasn't targeted last week and had just one pass thrown his way - a 14-yard reception - in the previous game. The veteran has 303 yards and three touchdowns.

New England came into the season thinking the run game would be a strength. The Patriots got off to a good start, with a combined 355 yards rushing through the first two games against Cincinnati and Seattle. But there has been a big drop in production since.

New England is 24th in the NFL in rushing. Take away Maye’s totals last week and the Patriots had 15 yards on 12 carries.

The Bears will be glad to return to Soldier Field, and not just because it will be their first time playing there since Oct. 6.

Chicago has won eight in a row on the lakefront and nine straight home games in all, counting their victory over Jacksonville in London in Week 6.

New England offensive lineman Vederian Lowe will be in familiar territory. He grew up about 90 miles northwest of Soldier Field in Rockford, Illinois, and played at the University of Illinois.

"The one person I'm looking forward to watching me play is my granddad," he said. “He's been a big part of my life and my career. He kept me on a straight line and kept me moving forward. I wouldn't be here without him. I owe everything to him." ___