The vacations are upon us, and the subsequent reward is a battle of NFC heavyweights within the NFL’s third annual Black Friday contest. Besides the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles, who will sq. off at Lincoln Monetary Discipline, are in a lot completely different locations.
Few anticipated Chicago to be 8-3 after Thanksgiving, even with an anticipated enhance below the path of latest coach Ben Johnson. In actual fact, loads of Bears gamers are in all probability simply as stunned concerning the staff’s standing, contemplating what number of of Windy Metropolis’s victories have come on account of last-minute heroics.
The Eagles are additionally 8-3, which is not a stunning document for the reigning Tremendous Bowl champions. However that document may also be a bit deceiving: Whereas Vic Fangio’s protection has remained stingy, permitting barely 20 factors per sport, the Birds’ big-name offense is producing beneath its paygrade, with the once-vaunted O-line struggling to clear operating lanes for Saquon Barkley.
As each the Bears and Eagles survive on the margins, which aspect is due for victory on Friday? It is a must-see matchup both manner.
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Here is every part it is advisable know to catch the Black Friday showdown, together with key matchups and our prediction:
The place to look at Eagles vs. Bears dwell
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Key questions
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- Can Saquon Barkley lastly break away? Little or no goes proper for the reigning Offensive Participant of the 12 months. Not solely is the operating again’s previously dominant line struggling to fulfill expectations, with Lane Johnson banged up and fellow lynchpins like Cam Jurgens and Landon Dickerson dropping floor, however Barkley himself appears to lack a few of the pre-contact burst that made him a monster in 2024. Maybe that is simply the protection he must face, as Chicago’s linebacker corps is all bruised up, and Dennis Allen’s unit, although opportunistic with an NFL-leading 24 takeaways, ranks twenty eighth in run protection.
- How will Ben Johnson assault the Eagles’ secondary? Caleb Williams has been a bit scattershot because the Bears’ signal-caller, however one factor he is achieved properly is management the ball, with simply 4 interceptions on the 12 months. This is likely to be the time Johnson lets Williams air it out, nonetheless, with Philly in the midst of one other cornerback shuffle. Adoree’ Jackson is banged up on the skin, and each Reed Blankenship and Andrew Mukuba are additionally damage at security, leaving the Eagles weak in opposition to the deep ball.
- Can Philly’s entrance fluster Caleb Williams? Once more, Williams has achieved a good job defending the rock even whereas the Bears have endured streaky stretches as an offense. But when there’s one factor the Eagles protection does properly, it is disrupt within the trenches, with freakish front-seven standouts like Jalen Carter and Zack Baun at all times across the ball. The final time Chicago confronted a top-10 protection in keeping with DVOA grades, the Bears struggled mightily to maintain up with the rival Detroit Lions.
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X issue to look at
Two years after logging his first profession 1,000-yard speeding season because the No. 1 again for the Eagles, Swift might be again in Philly as a part of a hit-or-miss Bears tandem. Whereas rookie Kyle Monangai could also be Chicago’s new “finisher” and/or prime general ball service, Swift stays a house run risk with top-end breakaway burst. And the Eagles have confirmed weak when defending the run, permitting Javonte Williams and Malik Davis to achieve 111 mixed yards within the Dallas Cowboys‘ Week 12 comeback win. It would not be a shock if Ben Johnson tries to scheme up open-field alternatives for Swift to stretch the sphere in opposition to his outdated staff.
Prediction
The Bears simply preserve discovering methods to win. Which is sort of what we normally say concerning the Eagles. So which staff is for actual? Which one has a extra genuine 8-3 mark going into Black Friday’s showdown? Forgive us if we are inclined to aspect with the defending champs.
Chicago is little question proving scrappy below Johnson’s watch, and if Dennis Allen’s protection can discover a option to drive a free ball in opposition to the Birds because the Cowboys did, properly, we may very well be in for an actual stunner on the Linc. The accidents on the again finish of the Eagles’ personal protection aren’t something to miss, both.
All that stated, there’s nonetheless a transparent disparity in top-end expertise while you put these groups face to face. If Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith cannot intestine one out at residence in opposition to this group, even on a brief week after a troublesome divisional loss, then it’s going to actually be time to sound the alarms in Philadelphia. Or simply put some real respect on the Bears’ identify.
Choose: Eagles 27, Bears 17 | Eagles -7, Beneath 44.5
