It's Drake Maye versus Caleb Williams as the New England Patriots visit the Chicago Bears

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Caleb Williams and Drake Maye have known each other for years. They were part of the same draft class, and they grew up going to the same football camps.

Maye's mobility, Williams said, always has been a weapon for him.

"We’ve got to be able to bottle him up,” he said.

Maye leads the New England Patriots into Soldier Field on Thursday night to take on Williams and the Chicago Bears in a matchup of two of the NFL's top young quarterbacks. Both Maye and Williams have a big right arm, but they are also dangerous with their legs.

“I think Drake Maye’s one of those guys that does an outstanding job with his feet,” Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said. “There’s been times where you watch it and there’s pressure on the quarterback and he makes people miss and creates some plays down the field.”

The 24-year-old Maye seems to have settled down after a rough start to the season. He has completed 64.1% of his passes for 878 yards and 10 touchdowns during New England's three-game winning streak, throwing just one interception during the impressive stretch.

He could become the first Patriots QB since Tom Brady in 2014 to throw for at least three TDs in four consecutive games.

“It’s a dangerous combination of a guy that’s an elite deep-ball thrower along with he can crush you with his legs,” Bears coach Ben Johnson said. “I think that combination is deadly. It’s really picked up steam over these last three games.”

Maye was selected by New England with the No. 3 pick in 2024, two spots after Williams went No. 1 overall to Chicago.

Williams, who turns 25 on Nov. 18, missed three games with a right hamstring injury before returning on Sunday at Atlanta. He showed no signs of any rust, going 30 for 36 for 305 yards and a touchdown in a 31-23 victory over the Falcons.

“He’s special in the way he can move and kind of escape and evade pressure, and throwing on the run is pretty cool to watch,” Maye said. “So I don’t know if I’m that shifty in the pocket. He can do some cool things, and he’s got crazy arm talent, and it’s fun to watch.”

Patriots safety Kevin Byard went up against Williams in practice during the previous two seasons with the Bears. He said Williams is an elite athlete who is tough to bring down in the pocket.

“I’ve been in this league long enough. I kind of know what the whole deal is gonna be,” Byard said. "Caleb versus Drake, obviously same draft class, two phenomenal quarterbacks. Drake’s been playing phenomenal, Caleb’s been playing phenomenal. So I think for us it’s gonna be a 60-minute mental fight on both sides of the ball.”

New England (4-2) at Chicago (4-2)

When/where to watch: Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EDT, Prime Video.

Latest odds: Bears by 3.

Against the spread: Patriots 3-1-2; Bears 4-2.

Last week: Patriots beat the New York Jets 26-19; Bears beat the Falcons 31-23.

Last meeting: Patriots beat the Bears 19-3 on Nov. 10, 2024, at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Series record: Patriots lead 11-5, counting the playoffs.

Patriots WR A.J. Brown vs. Bears CB Jaylon Johnson. Brown is looking to bounce back after he had a rough game in his return from a high ankle sprain. He was targeted 10 times in Sunday's win over the Jets, but he dropped three balls and finished with just three catches for 27 yards. The Patriots are looking for more from Brown after they acquired the receiver in a June 1 trade with the Eagles. Johnson and the Bears held the Falcons to 257 yards overall.

— The Patriots did not allow a sack in their Week 6 victory over the Jets for the first time this season.

— Hunter Henry has 28 touchdown receptions in six seasons with the Patriots, tied with Russ Francis for third on the franchise list for tight ends. Rob Gronkowski is first with 79, followed by Ben Coates with 50.

— Bears guard Joe Thuney was drafted by New England in 2016 and played for the Patriots for five seasons, winning two Super Bowls with his first NFL team.

— The Bears are averaging an NFL-high 160.7 yards rushing per game.

— D’Andre Swift has rushed for three touchdowns for Chicago over the past two games, giving him six on the season. He could become the first Bears running back to rush for seven or more touchdowns in the first seven games of a season since Neal Anderson in 1990.

— Bears safety Dillon Thieneman is the only rookie defensive back in the NFL with at least 35 tackles, one INT and one sack.

AP Sports Writer Kyle Hightower contributed.

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