The Eagles’ Week 3 trip to Chicago was supposed to be one of the early highlights of the schedule. Instead, it now looks like a spot where Philadelphia could walk into a favorable matchup and come out with a chance to clean up some defensive issues.
Chicago’s quarterback situation is the whole story. Caleb Williams is not expected to play after suffering a hamstring injury in Week 2, and backup Tyson Bagent has entered concussion protocol. According to NFL Network, the Bears are preparing to start third-string quarterback Case Keenum.
That would put the Eagles across from a familiar name. Keenum, now 38, has not started an NFL game since the 2023 season. He was once viewed as one of the league’s better backup quarterbacks, but at this stage he’s more of a clipboard holder than a game-changing option.
Philadelphia has already beaten Keenum badly on a big stage. In the 2017 NFC Championship Game at Lincoln Financial Field, the Eagles rolled past Keenum and the Minnesota Vikings 38-7.
The Eagles intercepted him twice, and Patrick Robinson jump-started the rout with a 50-yard pick-six in the first quarter. Two weeks later, Philadelphia finished the job by beating the New England Patriots for its first Super Bowl title.
The Bears do have some things working in their favor. Their running game gave the Eagles trouble in last year’s 24-15 Bears win on Black Friday, and Chicago coach Ben Johnson is considered one of the league’s sharpest offensive minds.
Still, if Keenum is the one under center, the Bears would seem to have a hard time consistently moving the ball against an Eagles defense that could use a statement performance.
In Other News...
Flyers Are Still Chasing The Impact Forward This Roster Needs
The Flyers are still in the market for the kind of forward who can change the shape of a roster, with Dave Pagnotta saying on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio that the club remains interested in adding a star-caliber piece. Philadelphia has the cap room to work with and enough young talent it believes can keep growing, which gives the front office some flexibility as it keeps looking for ways to push the team closer to playoff status.
And this is not a case of a team passively waiting for the market to break its way. The Flyers have already shown a willingness to take a swing for a bigger-name addition, and the pursuit of impact help is still very much part of the plan. For a club trying to speed up its timeline, the search for that difference-making forward remains one of the more important storylines around the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Suddenly Have Two Injury Questions Right Before Opening Night
The Flyers are heading into the final stretch of the preseason with a couple of health questions hanging over the roster. Goalie Dan Vladar left Tuesdays exhibition game after taking an upper-body injury, and the team is still sorting out what it means as opening night gets closer. On a club that already knows how quickly goalie depth can matter, any uncertainty there is worth watching.
Denver Barkey added another concern when he left practice early after dealing with a lower-body injury, putting his status in doubt for the preseason finale and maybe even the opener. Philadelphia is monitoring both players as the regular season approaches, and with the calendar tightening, the next few days could say a lot about how much lineup flexibility the Flyers will have when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Preseason Test Could Start Sorting Out Key Roster Battles
A mostly NHL Flyers lineup gets a useful preseason stress test against the Bruins, and for a team still sorting out the edges of its roster, these are the kinds of games that matter. Philadelphia will be without injured Dan Vladar and Denver Barkey, but the lineup still has plenty of names worth tracking, with Cole Knuble, Jett Luchanko, Matvei Michkov and Nikita Grebenkin all expected to be in the mix.
The night also carries a little extra weight in goal, where Joseph Woll is set for his first full game with the Flyers. Grebenkins return adds another layer of intrigue after his injury absence, giving the coaching staff another look at a player who has been out of game action since March 21 of last season. For a preseason meeting, there is more than enough here to start separating who is pushing for jobs and who still has more work to do. [Read more 🡒]