The Eagles are heading into Monday Night Football with a Bears team that brings a lot of questions, especially on offense. And if Philadelphia wants to leave Week 3 with control of the matchup, the clearest path runs straight through Chicago’s quarterback situation, its run defense, and a few vulnerable spots up front.
Ryan Heckman of Bear Goggles On laid out the biggest pressure points for Eagles fans to watch, and the picture starts with who’s actually taking snaps. If Case Keenum is the guy, the Bears aren’t likely to open things up and start firing deep. Heckman said Ben Johnson would probably pull “a lot of the big throws off the table,” leaning into easier completions and a heavier ground game.
Heckman pointed to Colston Loveland as a player who could be worked into the plan as an outlet option, giving Keenum plenty of “easy button” type of throws. But the bigger theme, he said, would be a heavy dose of the run game to support the veteran quarterback.
That quarterback question isn’t settled, either. The interview took place before the Tyson Bagent news that he was able to practice and is questionable for the game, giving him a shot to start against the Eagles.
From there, the conversation shifts to the Bears’ rushing attack and how Philadelphia can keep it from becoming the kind of problem it was last year. Heckman said the Bears’ best work up front has come from right guard Jonah Jackson and right tackle Darnell Wright, two blockers who have been in sync through two games and have consistently pushed the right side of the line forward.
He also noted that Joe Thuney is on the left side, but even with his quality, he can’t cover for the issues with Braxton Jones or Theo Benedet. At center, Garrett Bradbury has also been a weak point, with Heckman saying he hasn’t been generating nearly the push he needs.
Because the Bears like to run to the strong side, Philadelphia can respond by loading up and making sure it has enough bodies to handle Jackson and Wright.
If the Bears do go with Keenum, or even Bagent, the Eagles should also see an offense that looks different from the version Chicago would prefer with Caleb Williams. Heckman said Williams would give the Eagles defense more to worry about because he’s more comfortable in the system. With Keenum likely playing, though, Chicago would be more likely to work the middle of the field and live on shorter-area throws.
That puts extra work on the Eagles linebackers, who would be busy dealing with Loveland and Burden.
On the other side of the ball, Heckman pointed to a few ways Dennis Allen could make life difficult for a first-year play caller in Sean Mannion. He compared Allen’s pressure tendencies to Brian Flores, but said Allen especially likes to bring his nickel on blitzes. In this game, that would be either Malik Muhammad or Cam Lewis.
That could become even more of a problem if Dallas Goedert doesn’t play. Heckman said Zach Ertz isn’t an ideal blocker at this stage of his career, which could make those pressure looks even harder to handle.
He also said rookie safety Dillon Thieneman could be a major factor if Allen starts moving him around and disguising him in different spots. Thieneman has been a “ball magnet,” according to Heckman, getting involved in several plays each game and leading the team in tackles.
As for the Fangio-Johnson chess match, Heckman didn’t spend much time pretending it’s a mystery. He said if Vic Fangio can get quick pressure on either Bagent or Keenum, the defense should be able to force turnovers. Caleb Williams is the more agile and careful quarterback, but Bagent has a history of giving the ball away, and Keenum hasn’t played in three years.
The formula, in Heckman’s view, is simple: hit either quarterback early and often, and Johnson will be left looking for answers.
The final warning for Eagles fans is the Bears’ defense, and specifically the run game. Heckman said Chicago has not been good at stopping the run, which sets up a matchup between a less-than-stellar defensive line and a questionable Eagles offensive line.
He put it plainly: “The stronger weakness will win, if that makes sense.”
If Philadelphia’s line can come together this week, Heckman believes the Eagles’ rushing attack can start producing chunk gains on a regular basis.
In Other News...
Eagles Suddenly Face A Tougher Week 3 Question Than Expected
The Eagles went into the week expecting a clearer read on Chicagos quarterback situation, but the Bears now appear likely to be without Caleb Williams because of a hamstring injury. Tyson Bagent has cleared concussion protocol and could return to practice, which at least gives Chicago another option as it sorts through the position for Week 3.
Ben Johnson confirmed Bagents clearance, a positive development for a Bears team still trying to stabilize under center. Case Keenum could still end up starting, so Philadelphia may have to prepare for more than one possibility even as the matchup looks different than it did when the schedule first pointed to Williams. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Suddenly Have A Week 3 WR Question Fans Did Not Expect
The Eagles entered the week expecting to sort through a familiar set of early-season injury concerns, but the wide receiver picture took an unexpected turn when Hollywood Brown was added late to the injury report with a knee issue and sat out a practice. For a team still trying to settle its passing-game rotation, the timing matters, especially with a game coming up and the depth chart suddenly looking a little thinner than it did a day earlier.
If Brown is unable to go, Elijah Moore could become part of the conversation in a bigger way. The offseason addition has not played in the first two games, but the Eagles may turn to him for specific offensive packages or even special teams work if they need another receiver available, giving him a chance to finally enter the mix at a moment when the team did not seem to be planning for one. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Defense Suddenly Faces A Bigger Bears Problem Than Quarterback
The Bears quarterback picture has been murky all week, and that has kept a little extra attention on Chicagos visit to Philadelphia. Backup Tyson Bagent was back at practice after reportedly clearing concussion protocol, according to head coach Ben Johnson, after sitting out earlier in the week and fueling speculation that Case Keenum might get the nod if Caleb Williams remains sidelined.
For the Eagles, the bigger issue is not simply who lines up under center, but how much the uncertainty changes the shape of the game. The betting line has already moved as Bagents status has swung back and forth, and Philadelphias defense now has to prepare for a matchup that could still tilt depending on whether the Bears are dealing with one backup quarterback, another, or more late-week confusion. [Read more 🡒]