The Eagles came into Soldier Field trying to get to 3-0, but the opening minutes made it clear they were in for a physical fight. Philadelphia deferred after winning the coin toss, and the first drive from Chicago set the tone fast: the Bears moved the ball with ease, mixed in tight end screens and short throws, and kept the Eagles off balance before finishing the march with a score.
Chicago began at its own 32-yard line and immediately exposed some shaky tackling, with Marcus Epps missing on the first snap from scrimmage. The Bears kept chaining together completions, including a quick throw to D’Andre Swift and another pass that was wiped out on review when the ball hit the ground between Cole Kmet’s legs.
Even after the Eagles held on third down, Chicago converted on fourth when Case Keenum found Sam Roush wide open. That led to another short completion to Luther Burden, who was initially stopped but got pushed into the end zone by teammates for the touchdown.
The Bears were up 7-0, and the Eagles’ defense had already been bullied the same way it was a year ago in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia’s first possession offered a little more structure, but not enough finish. Jalen Hurts opened with a completion to Makai Lemon for a first down, and Saquon Barkley helped move the chains with a run to the left edge.
But the drive stalled quickly after that. Hurts was flagged for intentional grounding under pressure on third down, and on third-and-16 he dumped it to Johnny Mundt for only five yards.
The Eagles then punted from the plus 46-yard line, and the kick went out of bounds at the 16 for just a 30-yard net.
One of the early sideline notes was at tight end, where Johnny Mundt, not Zach Ertz, got the first look in 11 personnel. Philadelphia also had Braden Mann on the field as a 12th man on kickoff again, with the ball placed on a tee, a detail that had already drawn attention coming out of Week 2.
In Other News...
Jalen Hurts Faces A New Eagles Test With Key Targets Missing
Jalen Hurts has already given Eagles fans plenty to like early this season, and Monday night now brings a different kind of test for Philadelphia's offense. With Dallas Goedert sidelined, the passing game loses one of its steadier middle-of-the-field options, which puts even more of the burden on Hurts to keep the offense moving while working around a reshuffled group of targets.
DeVonta Smith and DAndre Swift are among the players expected to take on larger roles, and that makes this a useful checkpoint for how the Eagles want to distribute the ball without one of their regular outlets available. For Hurts, it is another reminder that the weekly challenge is not just producing, but adapting when the pieces around him change. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Defense Faces A Brutal Test Against Chicago Again
A trip back through film from the Eagles last meeting with Chicago has become a big part of the build-up to Monday night, and for good reason. In that matchup, the Bears gashed Philadelphia for 281 rushing yards and two touchdowns, a reminder of how quickly an opponent can take control if the front seven slips out of position. With another Bears game on deck, the Eagles are treating the tape as both a warning and a blueprint.
Jordan Davis has framed the challenge in simple terms: discipline. Chicagos quarterback situation has changed with the starter injured and a third-stringer expected to get the nod, which only puts more pressure on the Eagles to handle the run game cleanly and avoid letting the game tilt on the ground again. Philadelphia is hoping a recent practice against a similar offensive scheme gives it a better feel for whats coming, but the last meeting is still the standard that has to be erased. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Greenard's Return Comes With One Big Eagles Question
Jonathan Greenard is on track to make his Eagles debut against the Bears after sitting out training camp and the first two weeks because of a pectoral injury, and Philadelphia is easing him back in with a clear plan. The move makes sense for a defense that wants his speed and edge presence, but it also reflects how much ground he still has to make up after missing so much of the buildup to the season.
The Eagles have already said they will keep his snap count in check as he works back into game shape, with Greenard expected to rotate alongside Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt. For a team trying to balance immediate help with long-term health, his return is less about one Sunday and more about when he can become a full-time part of the pass-rush picture. [Read more 🡒]