The Eagles return home on a short week after a deflating divisional battle in Dallas. Sitting at 8–3, Philadelphia enters a rare Friday showcase, wearing all black, with an opportunity to reset, refocus, and regain its grip on the NFC’s top seed.
Philadelphia can’t afford a letdown, not with the conference tightening and a No. 1 seed at stake.
Here's everything you need to know ahead of Friday's clash.
When: Fri, Nov. 28, 3 p.m. EST
Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
How: Prime Video
The Eagles' offense has lost their identity and their mojo. The Birds have won games without consistently showing any semblance of the offense from 2024. Without a dominant run game, the offense has felt predictable, but this week presents an opportunity to break free of that pattern. The Bears’ run defense has not been good. If the Eagles do not show promise against them, I do not know if and when they will in 2025. It is time to get creative to let Saquon Barkley get free. A short passing game to set up the run should be in the cards.
Jalen Hurts has been efficient and safe with the ball, though the conservative approach has come at a cost. Specifically, in the second half, the team tries to run out the clock rather than stay productive. They need to keep their foot on the gas when they have a team on the ropes and not rely on the defense to hold off their opponents' counterpunches. Against a Chicago defense that plays fast but young, the Eagles must find ways to get the ball to their playmakers early and often. The Bears do not get much pressure, but they are ballhawks. Hurts will have to protect the ball without being uber risk-averse. There has to be a balance.
A.J. Brown should once again be the focal point. After a week of heavy use in Dallas, the challenge now is to do it with creativity and consistency, including second-half targets.
DeVonta Smith remains Hurts’ most dependable target and is pacing toward a career season. His precision and toughness allow him to win in tight coverage, and Chicago’s secondary has been vulnerable to route technicians. Smith should again be in line for a deep shot play, providing he's good to go after missing practice for a second straight day.
Dallas Goedert’s production has fluctuated, but he has shown elite efficiency when the ball finds him. His yards-after-catch ability has quietly become overlooked, and that is one of the most important components of this offense. He had a big play negated by a penalty against Dallas, but they need to go back to that well more often.
This leads to one of the larger issues: self-inflicted wounds. The Eagles must eliminate all of the penalties. Nick Sirianni loves saying, “We have to master the things that require no talent.” It is about time they start.
The Chicago Bears come in playing their best football of the season. Their offense is improved, and they ride a quarterback who can stress defenses with both his arm and legs. The Eagles will need to find ways to get pressure. The Bears use play-action often. They try to run the Cowboys' offense without their personnel, but they have had success. The defense will need the pass rush to bail them out when LBs and DBs are biting on a play fake.
The Eagles have consistently struggled with mobile QBs, and Caleb Williams will take off more often and faster than Dak Prescott. DTs Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, and Moro Ojomo will need disciplined rush lanes to force Williams to stay inside rather than escape and extend plays. The DT group struggled against the Cowboys’ young line, but this is a trench match-up the Eagles must dominate to win the game. They must also contain old friend, D’Andre Swift, in the running game.
Quinyon Mitchell is having an All-Pro caliber season and continues to erase opposing WR1s each week. Rome Odunze and D.J. Moore present a challenging matchup. They have combined for nine receiving touchdowns this season. Expect Mitchell to follow the outside receiver.
Reed Blankenship should be able to start, but the Eagles will still be without one of their starting safeties, Drew Mukuba, due to a fractured ankle. Sydney Brown will get the starting nod. It will be interesting to see how the Eagles shade coverage his way. This is one of the many chess matches inside the game that could dictate the outcome.
This game won’t have the animosity of a Dallas Cowboys matchup, but it might be even more important. These are the types of games a team deserving of being a top seed must win. The Eagles are at home, on a short week, against a team gaining confidence. The Bears are a fun team to watch, with rising talent and a bright future, but the Eagles have more talent and experience and need to showcase it. No excuses. Dominate the trenches, which this team is built to do, and win the game.
Prediction: Eagles 24, Bears 16
Player of the Game: A.J. Brown. For the second week in a row, I am going with “Always Open” to score a touchdown, haul in 100+ yards, and have the type of performance that sets the tone for December and playoff football. The Eagles need to open up the playbook more to feed one of the most under-utilized weapons in the NFL, especially with a struggling running game. Let the pass set up the run; they have the firepower to do it.
As always, thank you for reading!
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