Bears Vs. Patriots: Tom Brady And New England Are Peaking At The Perfect Time

Tom Brady and the New England Patriots played Sunday's game in Chicago after a short week, against arguably the best defense the NFC has to offer, and on the road in a game the Bears and their fans had been looking forward to for weeks. 60 minutes later, and the Patriot legend had ballooned to even greater heights, with the Bears becoming the latest team to be humbled by Bill Belichick, Brady, and the sudden juggernaut that's coming from New England.

And against Chicago, it wasn't close. Ever.

By halftime, the Patriots led 33-0 and enjoyed a 273-33 advantage in offensive yards. And that's been the story for a few weeks now. Save for the first half of New England's Thanksgiving day matchup with Detroit, the Patriots have been basically flawless dating back to mid-November, when they began this run by pounding the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Through that stretch, they've beaten Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, the Jets, and now the Bears. Not too shabby. They've clinched a playoff berth, and look better than ever. As SB Nation's Pats Pulpit explains:

The Patriots are heating up at the perfect time as the league heads down the final stretch and into the playoffs. This is, unarguably, the most efficient offense in the league and is producing at an unparalleled output. The defense is tightening up and is starting to play at a high level for entire games, which is something that hasn't been seen since in a couple seasons.

And who knows whether this can continue for another six weeks--all the way to the Super Bowl--but right now, there's simply no doubt about the best team in football. Last week, Bears linebacker Brian Ulracher told reporters that "New England is the best team in the NFL, record-wise. But I feel like we're the best team, period. That's why I say record-wise."

Sunday afternoon, Ulracher changed his tune. "The Patriots are the best team in the AFC. They came here to our field, our weather, and pounded us." But not to worry, Bears fans; you're not the only ones to meet this fate. Just the latest victims.

They haven't just beaten their fellow contenders the past few weeks. It's been a series of humiliations. And the question now isn't whether the Patriots are the best, but how long can they keep this murderous run going?