SportsQuest
All games

Week 7, Thu, Oct 22, 7:15 PM local

New England Patriotsat Chicago Bears

Soldier Field, Chicago. Fly into ORD.

Build the quest

Kickoff slot

Primetime

Plan the ride back before kickoff.

Lots open

3:00 PM

Local time on game day.

Where to stay

In the city

Tailgate from 3:00 PM, then the game.

The matchup

On Prime Video

Patriots

1-2, 0-2 on the road

Bears

2-1, 1-1 at home

39% to winESPN's model60% to win

Injury report

  • Patriots
  • OutChristian Barmore, DT, shoulder
  • QuestionableCraig Woodson, S, shoulder
  • QuestionableDre'Mont Jones, DE, shoulder
  • QuestionableReggie Gilliam, FB, knee
  • QuestionableEli Raridon, TE, thigh
  • Bears
  • OutBraxton Jones, OT, knee
  • OutCaleb Williams, QB, hamstring
  • OutKyler Gordon, CB, calf
  • IRAnthony Johnson Jr., S, undisclosed
  • DoubtfulCam Lewis, CB, leg
Form, ESPN's model and the stat leaders
Form

The Patriots are 1-2 after 3 games, 3rd in the AFC East.

They are 0-2 on the road.

The Bears are 2-1 after 3 games, 3rd in the NFC North.

They are 1-1 at home.

The Bears have won 3 of their last 5.

The Patriots have won 2 of their last 5.

ESPN's model

ESPN's model gives the Bears a 60 percent chance at home.

Patriots

W24-21 vs PHIL37-13 @ CLEL13-10 @ SEAW20-3 vs PITL35-6 @ JAX
  • Passing YardsD. Maye, 51/80, 585 YDS, 1 TD, 6 INT
  • Rushing YardsR. Stevenson, 31 CAR, 116 YDS
  • Receiving YardsM. Hollins, 12 REC, 156 YDS

Bears

L27-9 @ CINW24-15 @ TENW59-37 @ CARL9-3 vs MINW27-7 vs PHI
  • Passing YardsC. Williams, 36/55, 407 YDS, 2 TD, 1 INT
  • Rushing YardsD. Swift, 54 CAR, 253 YDS, 3 TD
  • Receiving YardsK. Raymond, 19 REC, 214 YDS, 1 TD

Win chances come from ESPN's model.

What we know about Soldier Field

Where visiting fans stay

Checked at the source
  • South Loop. 18 min. walk from Roosevelt / South Loop. The closest area with real hotel inventory. Soldier Field sits on the Museum Campus, a lakefront park with museums and no hotels or bars of its own. In Chicago, near the stadium means South Loop, about 0.6 to 0.9 miles north-west. Best Western Grant Park, Marriott Marquis Chicago and Hyatt Regency McCormick Place are all within 0.7 miles. Walk to the game in 15 to 20 minutes in good weather. In bad weather, take the Red, Green or Orange line from Roosevelt.
  • The Loop. 15 min. CTA 128 Soldier Field Express, nonstop from Union Station / Ogilvie. CTA route 128, the Soldier Field Express, runs nonstop between Union Station, Ogilvie Transportation Center and Soldier Field on every Bears home game. Round-trip cash fare is $5. Book a Loop hotel near either station and you get a direct, cheap game bus both ways. You also get the Loop's bars and restaurants, which the Museum Campus does not have.
  • River North / Near North. 30 min. CTA Red Line to Roosevelt then bus 146 or a 3/4-mile walk. Do pre-game in the Loop or Near North, not by the stadium. Near North has the most bars and restaurants in the city. It is a straight ride down to Roosevelt on the Red Line. It sits a bit further out, but the night after the game is better there.

Around the stadium

From a specialist guide
There is no hotel-and-bar cluster at Soldier Field, and there cannot be one. The stadium sits inside the Museum Campus, a lakefront park shared with the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium, bounded by DuSable Lake Shore Drive and the lake. The nearest bars and restaurants are 0.4 to 0.5 miles away in the South Loop: Giordano's at 0.4 mi, Kim and Carlo's at 0.5 mi, Burger Bar Chicago South Loop at 0.5 mi. If told to stay near Soldier Field, book South Loop or the Loop instead.

Getting in from the airport

Checked at the source
ORD, Chicago O'Hare International. 40 minutes via CTA Blue Line to the Loop, 24 hours a day. $5 O'Hare premium fare.

Getting to the stadium

Checked at the source
CTA 128 Soldier Field Express, about 15 min. Drops east on McFetridge Drive, at the stadium. CTA 146 Inner Drive/Michigan Express, about 10 min. Sets down at the stadium entrance on McFetridge Drive. Metra Electric Line to 18th Street station, about 8 min. 18th Street station is a short walk. The Bears say walk one block north to Soldier Field. It sits closer to the stadium than the Roosevelt L station. CTA Red / Green / Orange Lines to Roosevelt. It is three-quarters of a mile to the stadium entrance, per the stadium's own directions page. Switch to the 146 bus if the weather turns bad.

Tailgating

Checked at the source
You need a car to tailgate here. There is no walk-up tailgate at Soldier Field. Tailgating happens in the Museum Campus surface lots, the upper level of the Waldron Deck, and McCormick Place 31st Street Lots B, D and E. All of these need a pre-paid parking pass, so you need a vehicle. Setups and grills can't take up more than one parking space. No tailgating during the game or after night games. Parking lots near the stadium open four hours before kickoff. If you don't have a car, plan your pre-game in the Loop or South Loop instead.

Getting in

Checked at the source
  • Bag policy: Bring a clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bag up to 12 by 6 by 12 inches, or a one-gallon clear freezer bag. One non-clear bag up to 4.5 by 6.5 inches is also allowed. Diaper bags are listed as prohibited unless medically necessary; diapers must travel inside the clear bag. SoFi allows diaper bags by name, Soldier Field does not. This is the most likely thing to strand a family at the gate.
  • Re-entry: No re-entry is allowed. Soldier Field states fans may not exit and re-enter, and no re-entry passes are issued. The Bears A-Z confirms no re-entries are permitted.
  • Prohibited items: Umbrellas of any kind are banned. Strollers get checked at Gate 10 or Gate 8. Seat cushions with zippers, pockets or flaps are banned. Cameras with lenses over 6 inches extended are banned, as are video cameras. Banners and flags cannot attach to poles or block views. Outside food and alcohol, noise-making devices, aerosols and drones are all banned.

Touring the stadium

From a specialist guide
Soldier Field's public tour runs on weekdays only and does not operate on Bears gamedays. The tour covers the south courtyard, visitors' locker room and interview room, the skyline suite, the colonnades and the field.

After the final whistle

From a specialist guide
No official clearance time is published. Metra runs an extra outbound train from the Museum Campus/11th Street Station about 30 minutes after every game. The CTA 128 express runs back to the Metra stations for about an hour after the game. Getting out by transit is quick. Getting out by car off Lake Shore Drive is the slow part, another reason to skip driving.

One thing to avoid

From a specialist guide
Do not assume the Roosevelt L station sits at the stadium. It is a three-quarter-mile walk, per Soldier Field's own directions page, and feels closer to a mile. In November and December, with wind off Lake Michigan, that walk can ruin the day. Book near Union Station or Ogilvie for the 128 express, or near the 18th Street Metra Electric stop, instead of defaulting to Roosevelt. Skip the seasonal CTA #130 Museum Campus bus too, it runs only Memorial Day to Labor Day and will not run during most of the NFL season.

Bars near the stadium

Checked at the source

  • The Staley

    1736 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60616 (South Loop)

    Israel Idonije opened this bar. He's a former Bears defensive end from Nigeria who played eight seasons in Chicago.

    Away fans: mostly home fans.

  • Fatpour Tap Works - McCormick

    2206 S Indiana Ave, Chicago, IL 60616 (Motor Row District)

    This is where you get a drink near Soldier Field. It calls itself the largest beer venue in the South Loop.

    Away fans: mixed crowd. It's attached to a hotel near McCormick Place, so expect out-of-town fans too.

  • Jake Melnick's Corner Tap

    41 E Superior St, Chicago, IL 60611 (River North)

    Jake Melnick's is the official bar for the Bears, Blackhawks and Cubs. That triple status makes it the closest thing Chicago has to a sanctioned team bar, even though it's nowhere near the stadium.

    Away fans: mixed crowd. A downtown bar with official ties to multiple teams.

Sidequests in Chicago

In the order they happen. Each one earns points.

  1. Tour100 points

    Soldier Field Classic Tour

    This hour-long tour covers the south courtyard, visitors' locker room, Skyline Suite, colonnades and field. Book ahead on TicketWeb; dates post monthly. No weekend tours, so none on Sunday game days.

    $$. The day before. Bookable

  2. Landmark65 points

    Field Museum next door

    Natural history museum just north of the stadium. Open 9 am to 5 pm, last entry 4 pm, adults $30. Good for a Saturday or a morning stop before a 3:25 pm kickoff.

    $$. The day before

  3. Outing40 points

    Shedd Aquarium

    Lakefront aquarium ten minutes north of the stadium on foot. Belugas, penguins, sharks, sea otters. Open 9 am to 5 pm Labor Day to Memorial Day, closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.

    $$. The day before

  4. Eat65 points

    Italian beef at Al's on Taylor Street

    This is the original Al's #1 Italian Beef stand in Little Italy, open since 1938. Order it dipped with giardiniera. Closed Sunday; open Saturday 10 am to 11 pm.

    $. The day before

  5. Eat65 points

    Deep dish at Lou Malnati's South Loop

    This Chicago deep dish chain started in 1971; the South Loop branch has a full bar and a big dining room. Open until midnight Friday and Saturday, 11 pm Sunday. Give the pizza 30 minutes to bake.

    $$. 18 hours before kickoff

  6. Eat65 points

    Lou Mitchell's diner breakfast

    This West Loop diner has served eggs, pancakes and omelets since 1923 on old Route 66. Weekends it opens at 7 am, with free donut holes and Milk Duds at the door. Closed Monday and Tuesday.

    $. 5 hours before kickoff

  7. Drink25 points

    The Staley, the bar that replaced Kroll's

    Ex-Bear Israel Idonije owns this bar in the old Kroll's space, across from the 18th Street pedestrian bridge to the stadium. It opens at 9 am when the Bears kick off at noon.

    $$. 3 hours before kickoff

  8. Drink25 points

    Weather Mark Tavern

    This nautical South Loop tavern sits a few blocks up Michigan Avenue from the stadium. It opens 9 am on Soldier Field game days for food and drinks before kickoff, 10 am on normal weekends.

    $$. 3 hours before kickoff

  9. Ritual25 points

    Walk in from Roosevelt station through Museum Campus

    Take the CTA Red, Orange or Green Line to Roosevelt, then walk three quarters of a mile east through Museum Campus to the gates. Or catch the #146 bus to McFetridge Drive.

    $. 2 hours before kickoff

  10. Tailgate65 points

    Miller Lite Ultimate Tailgate on the Field Museum terrace

    This free tailgate runs on the Field Museum terrace, north side of the stadium. It has music, tailgate games, TVs, and food and drink for sale, from two hours before kickoff to one hour after.

    Free. 2 hours before kickoff

  11. Photo25 points

    Halas and Payton statues on the south side

    Twelve-foot bronzes of George Halas and Walter Payton stand on the stadium's south side. The colonnades behind them frame the skyline and Lake Michigan, open every day.

    Free. 1 hour 40 minutes before kickoff

  12. Landmark65 points

    Colonnades, Doughboy and Memorial Water Wall

    The 1924 colonnades stay open to the public year-round on non-event days. The 1926 Doughboy statue stands at Gate O. A 250-foot granite Memorial Water Wall with service medallions frames the north entrance.

    Free. 1 hour 30 minutes before kickoff

Seats and views

Where each part of Soldier Field sits, and what you see from it.

Lower level, end zoneLower level, corner, home sideLower level, home sidelineLower level, corner, home sideLower level, end zoneLower level, corner, visitor sideLower level, visitor sidelineLower level, corner, visitor sideUnited Club levels, end zoneUnited Club levels, corner, home sideUnited Club levels, home sidelineUnited Club levels, corner, home sideUnited Club levels, end zoneUnited Club levels, corner, visitor sideUnited Club levels, visitor sidelineUnited Club levels, corner, visitor sideMedia Deck and Colonnade levels, end zoneMedia Deck and Colonnade levels, corner, home sideMedia Deck and Colonnade levels, home sidelineMedia Deck and Colonnade levels, corner, home sideMedia Deck and Colonnade levels, end zoneMedia Deck and Colonnade levels, corner, visitor sideMedia Deck and Colonnade levels, visitor sidelineMedia Deck and Colonnade levels, corner, visitor sideWest Grandstand and Miller Lite Loft, end zoneWest Grandstand and Miller Lite Loft, corner, home sideWest Grandstand and Miller Lite Loft, home sidelineWest Grandstand and Miller Lite Loft, corner, home sideWest Grandstand and Miller Lite Loft, end zoneWest Grandstand and Miller Lite Loft, corner, visitor sideWest Grandstand and Miller Lite Loft, visitor sidelineWest Grandstand and Miller Lite Loft, corner, visitor sideHomeVisitors
Lower level101 to 155United Club levels202 to 216 and 301 to 317Media Deck and Colonnade levels218 to 256 and 318 to 357West Grandstand and Miller Lite Loft422 to 425 and 427 to 447Tap any part of the stadium to see its view.