The Bears’ Week 3 trip to Monday Night Football brings a problem that goes beyond the obvious names on the Eagles roster. Chicago already knows about the headline stars, but Philadelphia has enough underrated pieces to make this matchup tricky in a hurry.
Jalyx Hunt is one of the first names Chicago has to account for. He still hasn’t posted a sack, but the pressure is showing up, and his speed gives him a real path to the quarterback.
He can also slide into coverage, which adds another layer to what the Bears have to prepare for. With Jonathan Greenard’s status unknown for the game, Hunt stands as Philly’s top edge rusher.
At receiver, Dontayvion Wicks is a familiar face for Bears fans after the last three seasons against the Green Bay Packers. He’s now the Eagles’ second-leading receiver with seven catches for 147 yards and a touchdown, and he’s on pace for a career year. Jalen Hurts keeps looking his way, so Chicago’s corners will need to be sharp.
The Eagles also have a backfield piece in Tank Bigsby who can’t be ignored. Saquon Barkley is the name everybody knows, but Bigsby gives Philadelphia another physical option.
He’s averaging fewer than three yards per carry, yet the Eagles will still lean on him because Barkley is hurt and they want a committee approach. T.J.
Edwards and Devin Bush will have to be ready for a runner who has no problem lowering his shoulder.
On the back end, Riq Woolen has quietly been one of the Eagles’ best defenders this season, even if Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean draw more attention. Woolen has allowed a 40% completion percentage and an 88.3 passer rating, and that makes him a risky target for Chicago’s quarterback if the Bears decide to test him early.
Then there’s Hurts himself, who belongs on any list of players Chicago cannot let control the night. He may be overlooked and underrespected, but he’s won 70% of his starts.
The Bears might force a turnover, but if the game is there for the taking late, Hurts has a way of finishing it. Chicago better put a QB Spy on him because he can beat teams with his arm and his legs.
In Other News...
Bears Offensive Problem Just Got Harder For Ben Johnson To Ignore
The Bears offense was already in a tough spot before Caleb Williams left Sundays 9-3 loss to the Vikings with a hamstring injury. Chicago moved the ball better than Minnesota in total yards, but it never turned that into a touchdown, and the day turned into another reminder that sustaining drives and finishing possessions are still very much a problem. Williams went 15 of 26 for 138 yards with an interception before exiting, and the lack of rhythm around him made the entire unit look stuck in place.
Now Ben Johnson has a bigger question hanging over a team that already needed answers. The Bears are set to face the Eagles next, and if Williams cannot go, the offense will have to be reshaped on the fly while also trying to fix the same issues that showed up against Minnesota. For a staff looking for signs of progress, the timing could hardly be worse. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Fans Got One Bit Of Relief After A Brutal Week
The week did not get any kinder for the Bears after their loss to the Vikings, especially with the Caleb Williams injury situation now hanging over everything as Chicago looks ahead. At 1-2, the margin for error is already thin, and the next stretch only gets more important if the rookie quarterbacks availability remains in question.
Green Bay, however, gave Bears fans a small dose of comfort on Sunday by taking a 35-14 beating from the Falcons. Jordan Love never settled in, and the Packers defense had no answer for Bijan Robinson, offering Chicago at least a reminder that the NFC North race is still very much unsettled even as the Bears sort through their own concerns. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Head Into Monday Night With A QB Problem Nobody Wanted
The Bears are heading into Monday night with the kind of quarterback uncertainty nobody in the building wanted this early in the season. Ben Johnson said all three quarterbacks on the roster have a chance to play in Week 3, which leaves Chicago waiting on Caleb Williams as he deals with a hamstring injury and Tyson Bagent as he works through concussion protocol.
If both of those situations keep him out, Case Keenum is lined up to start, with Miller Moss positioned as the fourth-string option and an emergency backup. It is an uneasy place for a team trying to settle into a new rhythm under Johnson, especially with the spotlight of Monday Night Football waiting and no clear answer yet on who will take the first snap. [Read more 🡒]