Patriots special teams leaves mark with two touchdowns | VIDEO

CHICAGO – Cordarrelle Patterson was down, but he wasn’t out after he fumbled a kickoff return in the first quarter.

To make matters worse, the Chicago Bears scored a touchdown off the error, but while on the sideline, Matthew Slater had a message for Patterson.

"Don’t forget you’re the best kickoff returner in the league. Don’t forget that," Slater said.

[gh:div class="s2nPlayer-J8qRXwXTmD-459309-4478" data- [...]

CHICAGO – Cordarrelle Patterson was down, but he wasn’t out after he fumbled a kickoff return in the first quarter.

To make matters worse, the Chicago Bears scored a touchdown off the error, but while on the sideline, Matthew Slater had a message for Patterson.

“Don’t forget you’re the best kickoff returner in the league. Don’t forget that,” Slater said.

Patterson didn’t forget.

The receiver took a second quarter kickoff return 95 yards for a touchdown. The score jump-started a slumping special teams unit that took the lead on Sunday. After Patterson’s score, Kyle Van Noy returned a Dont’a Hightower blocked punt for a touchdown.

 “It wasn’t redemption, man. I’m a playmaker, man. I hold myself accountable as the best kickoff returner in the league,” Patterson said. “That’s what I stand for. Every time I’m out there, I’ve got to be aggressive and approach it like it’s my last. Every time I do something bad, it’s going to sit in my head, but the next play, just got to keep going.”

Coming into this contest, the special teams unit needed a boost. Last week, Slater called the Patriots coverage unit "brutal" after allowing a Kansas City return of 97 yards. They entered Sunday's matchup ranked 32nd in kick coverage.

Things didn’t start off great – with the Patterson fumble. The unit also saw Julian Edelman muff a punt, but he recovered the fumble. Of course, two touchdowns turned things around quickly.

The Patriots were trailing 17-7 before Patterson’s score and it marks his first as a Patriot. Patterson's six career kickoff return touchdowns are tied for the third most all-time.

Then when the game was tied, 24-24, Hightower was able to get his hands on Bears punter Pat O’Donnell’s punt. Van Noy scooped up the ball and ran it 29 yards to the end zone and the Pats lead, 31-24.

This game marked the first time Hightower was playing on the punt coverage unit in a while. The blocked the punt was the first of his life.

“Just lined up and bulled the B-gap,” Hightower said. “Was able to get him on his heels and I had him on his heels, locked out and kept moving. Honestly, didn’t’ really know what to do. I’ve never blocked a punt before. I just knew if I could get there before he punted it, I could hit him.”

“[Hightower] had a great play,” Van Noy added. “Going back and a watching that on film is going to be sick. He did all the work. I guess I get all the glory. I appreciate him. What an amazing player he is. Everyone can be quiet now.”

The two special teams scores turned out to be paramount for the Patriots as the Bears made one last charge and lost by a touchdown.

Said Slater: “Still room for improvement, but I think we left our mark on the game today.”