The Bears have been so stressful this season. I am glad they don’t play on Thanksgiving.
I don’t know that I could handle these late-game close score situations on a full stomach.
Hopefully, with the game being on Friday, you can be nice and digested and not have to handle any family dynamics that crop up when the team plays on the actual holiday.
Friday’s game is intriguing for many storylines. Obviously, the Bears haven’t played a ton of opponents with winning records. Many outsiders are considering Friday’s game a big test for Chicago.
But the Eagles, while sitting high in the standings, aren’t a team without flaws. They’ve struggled offensively and are banged up in the secondary and along their offensive line.
Saquon Barkley looks like most post-2,000 yard season running backs. Their top 1,000-yard receiver is unhappy.
But that doesn’t make the game any easier.
**Record:** 8-3, first in NFC East
**Last week:** 24-21 loss to the Cowboys
**Game day, time, TV:** Friday, 2 p.m. CT, Amazon Prime Video
**Bears all-time record against:** 30-17-1 including postseason
**Historical meetings:** Nov. 28, 2010, week 12.
The 7-3 Eagles came to Soldier Field to face the 7-3 Chicago Bears.
As 3.5-point home underdogs, the Bears came out firing. Jay Cutler hit Earl Bennett for a 10-yard score following a 61-yard Matt Forte run. Following an Eagles punt, he hit Devin Hester for 39 yards and then a 20-yard score to Johnny Knox.
Michael Vick took the Eagles down for a touchdown of their own, hitting Jeremy Maclin for eight yards.
The Eagles then tacked on a field goal and forced another Chicago punt, but Vick threw a pick to Chris Harris, setting up Earl Bennett’s second touchdown of the game in the final minute of the half.
Hester returned the second half’s opening kick 46 yards. Then, Hester caught a 34-yard pass with a horse collar tackle penalty tacked on, setting up Greg Olsen for a 9-yard touchdown on the next play.
After another Eagles punt, the Bears went on an 17-play, 83 yard drive, taking 10 minutes off the clock in the third quarter, ending in a field goal.
The Bears wouldn’t score again, but the Eagles could only add two field goals and finally another touchdown with just under 2 minutes left in the game.
Last meeting: Week 16, 2022 season. The 3-10 Bears were limping to the finish line but looking for anything positive under first-year coach Matt Eberflus.
The Eagles came to town as 8.5-point favorites at 12-1.
But a beatdown did not ensue.
The Bears scored a touchdown first, taking a 6-3 lead on a David Montgomery run, but Cairo Santos mixed the extra point.
Jalen Hurts scored the first of what would ultimately be his three touchdowns int ehs second quarter.
Justin Fields found David Montgomery for a 10-yard score in the third quarter, between two Hurts one-yard runs.
In the fourth, after the second of Hurts’ one-yard scores, Justin Fields found Byron Pringle for a 35-yard score to draw the Bears within five.
But they couldn’t recover the onside kick the Eagles won 25-20.
**Injury report:** The Eagles listed eight players as limited or not participating on Tuesday.
* RB Saquon Barkley (groin)
* S Reed Blankenship (thigh)
* G Landon Dickerson (knee)
* WR Xavier Gipson (shoulder)
* DE Brandon Graham (groin)
* T Lane Johnson (foot)
* S Andrew Mukuba (ankle)
* WR DeVonta Smith (shoulder/chest)
**Offense:** The Eagles offense ranks 17th in points and 24th in yards.
Their passing offense ranks 23rd and their rushing offense ranks 21st.
Jalen Hurts (67.2 pct. cmp./2,284 yds./17 TD/1 INT) ranks first in interception percentage and is playing well, while the passing game has struggled for stretches.
The same can be said for the Eagles’ usual great rushing offense, with Saquon Barkley (185 att./684 yds./4 TD) falling off from last year’s great run. Hurts (80/298/8) remains effective as a rusher, too. Tank Bigsby (80/280/0) is also getting in the mix.
The passing game is led by DeVonta Smith (55 rec./75 yds./3 TD), A.J. Brown (46/567/4), Dallas Goedert (28/376/7) and Barkley (35/259/2).
**Defense:** The Eagles defense ranks eighth in points allowed and 20th in yards.
Their passing defense ranks 22nd and their rushing defense ranks 18th.
Vic Fangio is still the man as a defensive coordinator and has the unit playing at a high level. It’s a huge part of their success even as their offense has struggled. They’ve won games while scoring 16 and 10 points in recent weeks, allowing just 9 and 7 in those contests. Obviously, blowing a 21-0 lead last week wasn’t a great look.
Their pass rush is led by Moro Ojomo (4 sk/1 PD/4 TFL/8 QB hits), Jordan Davis (3 sk/5 TFL/4 QB hits/6 PD), Jalen Carter (1 sk/2 TFL/10 QB hits/4 PD), Za’Darius Smith (1.5 sk/2 TFL/3 QB hits), Jaelan Phillips (1 sk/2 TFL/5 QB hits) and Nolan Smith (1 sk/1 FF/5 QB hits).
But since this Fangio we’re talking about, there are a ton of players with sacks. Zack Baun (88 tkls/3 sk/6 TFL/4 QB hits/1 INT/1 FF/6 PD), Jalyx Hunt (2 sk/1 INT/1 FF/5 TFL/13 QB hits) and Joshua Uche (1 sk/2 TFL/3 QB hits). And Jihaad Campbell (53 tkl/1 TFL/1 QB hit/1 FF) is second on the team in tackles.
In the secondary, Cooper DeJean (67 tkls/4 TFL/9 PD/1 INT/1 FF), Reed Blankenship (50 tkls/1 INT/4 PD/1 FF), Quinyon Mitchell (35 tkl/13 PD) and Adoree Jackson (33 tkl/6 PD).
**Key matchups:** Like so many cliché games, it could be won in the trenches. One of the Eagles’ main problems has been a banged-up offensive line. If the Bears’ defensive line can get through and make stops, especially on early downs to avoid the tush push, they should be able to handle the pass game. That’s with the expected reinforcements coming back for Chicago.
For the offense, getting a push against the Eagles’ DL won’t be easy, but if they can keep the pass rush at bay, there will be opportunities. The secondary for Philadelphia took some injuries last week and could be short-handed. If Ben Johnson can get the run game going early, Fangio won’t be able to send blitzes.
For fans of X’s and O’s, Ben Johnson vs. Vic Fangio is going to be fascinating.
* The Bears have lost six straight to the Eagles. They last won in 2011 on Monday Night Football against Philadelphia.
* Which means Lovie Smith was the last Chicago coach to beat the Eagles.
* Short yardage is going to be key – The Eagles rank second in fourth-down defense and third in the red zone. Offensively, they rank seventh on fourth down and are No. 1 in the red zone.
* Chicago ranks 26th in red zone defense and eighth on fourth down. Their offense ranks 16th in the red zone and 26th in third down.
* The Eagles lost two turnovers in two of their three losses.
* The Eagles had less than 75 rushing yards in all three of their losses, too.
* Philadelphia ranks first in offensive turnovers with only six on the season. Chicago ranks third with eight.
_Can the Bears go to Philadelphia and pull off the upset? Can you be satisfied with a competitive loss?_
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* [Chicago Bears Game Information](/chicago-bears-game-information)
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