The line of scrimmage may end up deciding Monday night in Chicago, because the Eagles are walking into a game where the Bears’ ground attack has been the loudest thing on the field all season.
Chicago leads the NFL early with 212.5 rushing yards per game and 6.1 yards per carry, and the combination of D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai has been every bit as disruptive as the numbers suggest. Swift, the former Eagle and Philadelphia native, has piled up 169 yards and three touchdowns in two games, while Monangai has added 147. Together, they combined for 255 rushing yards last November, part of a Bears offense that ran for 281 in a 24-15 win at Lincoln Financial Field.
That kind of production puts extra pressure on a Philadelphia defense that has allowed 127 rushing yards per game, especially with Caleb Williams sidelined. Chicago had spent most of the week looking like it might be forced to turn to third-string quarterback Case Keenum after Williams’ hamstring injury and Tyson Bagent’s place in concussion protocol. But Bagent was back at practice by Saturday, and he could be available if head coach Ben Johnson decides one session and a walkthrough are enough for the backup.
Still, the quarterback situation changes the shape of the challenge. With Williams out, the Bears’ run game becomes even more central, and Vic Fangio may be more willing than usual to load up the front. He generally prefers lighter boxes to help limit explosive passing plays, but this matchup could push him toward more five-man fronts and even an occasional six-man front to try to slow Chicago down.
“They are one of the better running teams in the league,” Fangio admitted. “They’ve got a really great O-line, great backs.
Their scheme is good. We’re going to have to play it a whole lot better.”
That scheme is a problem in its own right. Johnson uses motion, tight-end looks and gap concepts to create numbers issues for defenses that want to live in nickel and keep two-high safeties at the snap. The right side of the Bears’ line, with Darnell Wright and Jonah Jackson, is especially worth watching.
Philadelphia also has to clean up its tackling after a sloppy showing in that area against Tennessee last week. If the Eagles can actually choke off the run, the Bears may not have enough in the passing game to make up the difference without Williams.
There’s also a new challenge waiting for second-year center Drew Kendall. A 2025 fifth-round pick out of Boston College, Kendall made his first meaningful start last week when Landon Dickerson went on injured reserve and Cam Jurgens moved to left guard. He got through the noise and pressure of Nashville well enough in a 24-20 Eagles win, but that game came with Philadelphia fans flooding Nissan Stadium.
Chicago will be a different test. Kendall will have to handle protections in a much tougher environment while working with Jalen Hurts and a line still trying to build continuity. The Bears will also try to muddy those protection calls.
Inside, the Eagles are hoping Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter can tilt things back in their favor. That duo had its worst game last season against Chicago, and Carter was then shut down for a month by persistent shoulder pain. This time, Carter is dealing with a wrist injury, but he is much closer to the ideal version of himself, while Davis remains one of the league’s better two-down run-stuffers.
Davis should line up against Bradbury on early downs, with Carter showing up more often in passing situations. That matchup could be the biggest advantage Philadelphia has on the field. Bradbury is coming off a game in which Minnesota’s front overwhelmed him last week, and Chicago’s interior challenge looks even tougher than that.
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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 🡒]
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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 🡒]