The Chicago Bears are gearing up for a Black Friday matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, where they’re looking to stun the NFL world with an upset.
Fresh off their Super Bowl championship last season, the Eagles will be a tough out for any of their opponents and boast plenty of offensive playmakers, from quarterback Jalen Hurts to running back Saquon Barkley to wide receivers AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith.
In last week’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago was able to overcome several injuries, both that came before the game and during it, which significantly impacted the availability of their roster. While Chicago was able to pull out their 31-28 win over Pittsburgh, the Eagles collapsed against the Dallas Cowboys, blowing a 21-point lead, and allowing 24 unanswered points last Sunday.
Both teams have a lot to play for and plenty to prove in this game, and on the national spotlight, the defense will have to shine. Here’s the top defensive keys in this game:
Getting healthier
There’s no word on whether or not linebackers T.J. Edwards or Noah Sewell will play in this game, neither have practiced during the short week thus far. The linebacker core was able to hold their own with D’Marco Jackson and Amen Ogbongbemiga pacing the team as team leaders in tackles, but that’s just one of several areas to monitor. The pending returns of cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon, who were once again full participants in practice, could be a major boost to a secondary, but even more so, an opportunity for defensive coordinator Dennis Allen to move players around.
Defending the Tush Push
Highly discussed and highly frustrating for opponents facing Philadelphia, the Bears will have to be prepared for this extremely difficult play to defend. Last week against Pittsburgh, the Steelers lined up in the Tush Push formation and got stopped once. But then on their second attempt, they ran a fake and handed it off to Kenneth Gainwell, who darted for a 55-yard gain. Dennis Allen has said this week that the best way to defend the play is not allow Philadelphia an opportunity to run it, and that the Bears defense has a plan to do just that, time will tell.
Angry playmakers
Star Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown has not been happy, and he’s been very vocal about it. Following the collapsing loss to the Cowboys this past week, quarterback Jalen Hurts said he hopes the team is fired up from it, and that could be quite concerning for the locker room. Philadelphia’s chemistry is certainly off right now on the offensive side of the ball, and they could use the beaten up Chicago defense as their get right opportunity. The Bears need to be mindful that playing at home in front of the Philadelphia crowd on a holiday, the superstars may be out to prove something on Friday.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 3 keys for Bears defense vs. Eagles in Week 13
Reporting by Mike Pendleton, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
