Bears vs. Patriots: Caleb Williams and Drake Maye Headline Primetime Matchup

Caleb Williams and Drake Maye will forever be linked. 

Both teams drafted their franchise quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Chicago Bears made Williams the No. 1 overall pick, and the New England Patriots selected Maye with the third pick. 

This Thursday night matchup at Soldier Field will be the second meeting between the two quarterbacks. Maye led his Patriots to a 19-3 win. Two days later the Bears fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, which was one of many moves that allowed Chicago to hire Ben Johnson as the team's head coach and offensive play caller. 

Williams and Johnson clinched the NFC North and won a playoff game in their first season together. Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and Maye went to the Super Bowl, losing convincingly to the Seattle Seahawks, 29-13. 

But the Patriots tandem went further in their first season together. 

A game is never just one player against another, but Williams and Maye are the main headliners in this primetime game. And it would be naive to assume Williams doesn't want this particular win just a little more. 

It's not just about being in the same draft class, which is a huge factor, but Maye took his team to The Game. Williams has openly talked about wanting to win Super Bowls, and Johnson has a similar thought process. 

For everyone watching this primetime game at home, you already know there will be countless graphics of Williams, Maye and the rest of the 2024 Draft Class. It's inevitable. 

The winner on Thursday night doesn't just improve their team's overall record, they also will be in the driver's seat of the narratives and discussions that will flood social media and sports talk shows. 

If Maye outplays Williams and leads his Patriots to victory, can you just imagine some of the national headlines. 

Would these headlines remotely impact Williams, Johnson or this Bears football team? No, not even close. But if Williams wants to be regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, he needs to outplay the competition, especially someone who was selected just two picks behind him. 

After missing the last three weeks with a hamstring injury, Williams completed 30 of 36 passes for 305 yards and a touchdown in the Bears' 31-23 win over the Atlanta Falcons. That performance earned the Bears' quarterback the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award. 

Williams has an opportunity to build off one of his best games while also solidifying his place as the top quarterback in his draft class.