The closer the season winds down with the Eagles yet to have the division locked up, the more other games stand out as opposed to divisional opponents. For the Eagles, the Chicago Bears offer their next opponent and an important one leading up to the all-important Dallas week hanging over the entire league’s head.
How can a 12-1 team that has dominated teams recently have a conundrum against one of the worst football teams in the league this year? It doesn’t seem to make sense, yet it is the truth.
If the Eagles come out focused and attentive, there’s no reason to believe that they won’t beat a Bears team that has struggled all season. If they come in unfocused and seem to look ahead to Dallas week, there’s a good chance they could be upset and that could have major ramifications in the NFC playoffs.
Here’s all you need to know about the Eagles’ Week 15 opponent.
Chicago Bears (3-10)
Last Game: 28-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers
Offensive Ranking: 22nd
Defensive Ranking: 19th
Head-to-Head Matchup: Chicago leads the all-time series 29-16-1
Chicago Bears Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Matt Eberflus
Offensive Coordinator: Luke Getsy
Defensive Coordinator: Alan Williams
Special Teams Coordinator: Richard Hightower
Offense
It’s not too far-fetched to say that Justin Fields is the Bears’ entire offense this season in his second year on the job. The former first-round pick is close to over 1,000 yards rushing at the quarterback position while also growing as an overall passer. Outside of Fields, the Bears do have some talent in the skill groups. David Montgomery is a powerful running back, while Chase Claypool, Cole Kmet, and Equanimeous St. Brown all have big play potential. The issue is the offensive line. It’s struggled to protect Fields all year and has forced him into some hard hits. If the Eagles can get plenty of pressure, they should be fine.
Defense
It normally takes a couple of years for rookie defensive minded head coaches to get their type of players in the system. Therefore, it should surprise absolutely noone that the Bears defense is one of the worst in points allowed this season. The trade of Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn zapped the defense of the little talent they had left. Jaquan Brisker and Kyler Gordon, their rookies in the secondary have both had nice years and should be healthy enough to play on Sunday. But they are one of the worst defenses against the run and pass.
Injuries
DNP: Larry Borom (knee), Chase Claypool (knee), Justin Fields (illness), Trevon Wesco (calf)
X-Factor: Justin Fields
You stop Fields, and you stop the entire Chicago Bears offense. It’s really that simple. The Eagles would be smart to play Fields very similarly to how teams played Hurts last season. If the Eagles come in focused and prepared to take on an athlete like him, Philadelphia should be fine.
Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire
