Squirrel’s Nuts & Bolts: Patriots - Bears TNF Showdown Strategy (Week 7 NFL DFS)

Oct 22, 2026

D’Andre SwiftIMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Week 7 of the NFL season kicks off with an interconference Showdown between the Patriots and the Bears at Soldier Field. Kickoff is 8:15 PM ET, and the Bears are favored by 3 points at home, with the total set at 50.5 points.

The Patriots are 4-2 and have won three straight, averaging 33.3 points per game during the streak. Drake Maye has thrown 10 touchdowns and one interception in those three games, after throwing one touchdown and six interceptions over the first three, and he has run for 185 yards and a touchdown this season. A.J. Brown returned from a high ankle sprain on Sunday after missing four games, but he caught just three of his 10 targets for 27 yards against the Jets. Romeo Doubs is on injured reserve after hurting his shoulder on a 42-yard touchdown catch in that game. DeMario Douglas leads the team with 30 targets and 20 catches, and he caught seven of eight targets for 86 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. Rhamondre Stevenson leads the backfield with 263 yards on 71 carries, while TreVeyon Henderson has 194 yards on 49 carries. The offensive line will be without Alijah Vera-Tucker and Ben Brown tonight.

The Bears are also 4-2, and they lead the league in rushing yards. Caleb Williams missed three games with a hamstring injury before completing 30 of 36 passes for 305 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s 31-23 win in Atlanta, and the Bears have scored 59 and 31 points in his two full games. D'Andre Swift has six rushing touchdowns, tied for seventh in the league, and Kyle Monangai (toe, thumb) is out for a third straight game. With Monangai out, Roschon Johnson ran 13 times for 51 yards and a touchdown in Atlanta. Luther Burden III leads the team with 43 targets, 31 catches, and 361 receiving yards, and he caught all eight of his targets for 95 yards on Sunday.

This Showdown gives us a 50.5-point total, a Bears backfield without Monangai, and a Patriots receiving corps without Doubs. Let’s break down this Thursday night interconference Showdown, highlight the key plays, and uncover the strategies that could help you climb the leaderboards.