The first and third picks in the 2024 NFL draft squared off today in Chicago, and it wasn’t much of a contest.
No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye easily outplayed No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams as the Patriots beat the Bears 19-3.
Maye wasn’t great, but he was good enough: He completed 15 of 25 passes for 184 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. He also continued to show that he’s a good runner, gaining 25 yards on the ground, including an impressive 19-yarder.
Williams couldn’t do much of anything. He was inaccurate all day and struggled greatly with pressure. Williams finished 16-for-30 for 120 yards passing, and he got sacked nine times for a loss of 51 yards. That’s a net of 69 yards on 39 dropbacks. That’s just not an acceptable NFL passing attack.
The loss snapped an eight-game home winning streak for the Bears. The Bears have now failed to score a touchdown in two straight games.
The win improves the Patriots’ record to 3-7, while the Bears drop to 4-5. Neither of these teams looks like it’s going anywhere, but right now, the Patriots have to have more faith in how their rookie quarterback is developing.
