The New England Patriots will welcome the Chicago Bears to the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts on Sunday, as the two teams clash together in Week 8 of the NFL 2014 regular season.

Today's game will be a big one, and will be one that the Bears will feel they have to win if they are to stop their season slipping away from them. However, the Patriots are riding high at the moment and will be big favorites to claim the win in front of their home fans.

The game is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on the Fox network. The game will also be available to watch online through live stream - free for subscribers of Direct TV's NFL Sunday Ticket - via the link provided below.

The Patriots are coming into today's game on 5-2 and on the back of three consecutive victories. They are starting to look like a team that could go far, although whether they look like potential Super Bowl contenders is a point to argue.

The coming six games for the Patriots will answer a lot of those questions, as they will come up against a stream of teams of top caliber. Over the coming half dozen games, the Patriots' opposition will have a combined record of 28-11 this season so far, and how well New England can do against them will tell us a lot about whether they will be able to contend with the best come the postseason.

The Bears are 3-4 and know they must win if they are to have a realistic chance of making the postseason. Another loss will not end their hopes entirely but will be another nail in the coffin of their season.

The game will start at 1 p.m. EST and can be watched online through live stream by clicking here.